Saturday, February 10, 2007

They Don't Write 'Um Like That Anymore

"Love is a thing, well, its a kind of quicksand: The more you are in it, the deeper you sink. And when it hits you, you've just got to fall."

-UB40

It's been a long time since I posted a historic love letter entry, but with Valentine's Day less than a week away, I thought it would be a good time. These letters never stop amazing me, such passion and emotion by their authors. Sigh. :) As I read through them earlier this evening, I found I couldn't choose just one, so here are three rather brief, yet sensual letters to lose yourself in... Enjoy!


From Edith Wharton to W. Morton Fullterton
June 8th, 1908

There would have been the making of an accomplished flirt in me, because my lucidity shows me each move of the game - but that, in the same instant, a reaction of contempt makes me sweep all the counters off the board and cry out - "Take them all - I don't want to win - I want to lose everything in you!"


From Charlotte Bronte to Professor Constantin Heger
January 8th, 1845
Note: There is no evidence that her love for the professor was returned.

Monsieur...

The poor have not need of much to sustain them - they ask only for the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table. But if they refused the crumbs they die of hunger. Nor do I, either, need much affection from those I love. I should not know what to do with a friendship entire and complete - I am not used to it. But you showed me of yours a little interest, when I was your pupil in Brussels, and I hold on to the maintenance of that little interest - I hold on to it as I would hold on to life.


From Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) To Olivia Langdon, his future wife.
May 12th, 1869

Out of the depths of my happy heart, wells a great tide of love and prayer for the priceless treasure that is confided to my life-long keeping.

You cannot see it's tangible waves as they flow towards you, darling, but in these lines you will hear, as it were, the distant beating of the surf.


Like I said... Sigh! :)

"To write a good love letter, you ought to begin without knowing what you mean to say, and to finish without knowing what you have written."

-Jean Jacques Rousseau

-OndineMonet
"Love"
San Mateo, California
Spring, 2006
Afternoon

4 comments:

sunflowerkat said...

The beautiful words are perfectly complemented by you wonderful photographs!

Suzanne R said...

Lovely, lovely quotes. Ah, for feelings like that! But I experience them vicariously through others, and that's okay. Thanks for being one of those others!

Anonymous said...

Sigh, indeed. No, they don't (write 'um like that anymore). Who knew Mark Twain was such a romantic? I'd love to get a note such as his.

Gorgeous pictures, as always!

Anonymous said...

Love the pictures you used with the letters. You're right. They don't write them like that any more. Too bad, isn't it. I doubt there is anything as moving as reading a letter from somebody who loves you, and just HAS to let you know it.