Your Love Coach

Elizabeth Barrett to Robert Browning

Who can ever forget Sonnets From the Portuguese, Stanza XLIII, that every decent English teacher in high school makes their students memorize?

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”

That, of course, is by Elizabeth Barrett-Browning, written to her own beloved, Robert Browning. She is one of my favourite poets because I find her very lyrical and open to her feelings. And I am not just talking about romantic feelings. She was also very aware of political issues pervasive during her time.

Below are letters they wrote to each other.

A letter from Elizabeth Barrett to Robert Browning

…When I see and believe your attachment for me, do you think that any cause in the world could render it less a source of joy to me? I mean as far as I myself am considered. Now if you ever fancy that I am vain of your love for me, you will be unjust, remember. If it were less dear, and less above me, I might be vain perhaps. But I may say before God and you, that of all the events of my life, inclusive of its afflictions, nothing has humbled me so much as your love. Right or wrong it may be, but true it is, and I tell you. Your love has been to me like God’s own love, which makes the receivers of it kneelers.

A letter from Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barrett

Let me count my gold now - and rub off any speck that stays the full shining….I am yours forever…I have your memory, the knowledge of you, the idea of you printed into my heart and brain, - on that, I can live my life - but it is for you, the dear, utterly generous creature I know you, to give me more and more beyond mere life - to extend life and deepen it - as you do, and will do. Oh, how I love you when I think of the entire truthfulness of your generosity to me - how, meaning and willing to give, you gave nobly! Do you think I have not seen in this world how women who do love will manage to confer that gift on occasion? And shall I allow myself to fancy how much alloy such pure gold as your love would have rendered endurable? Yet it came, virgin ore, to complete my fortune! And what but this makes me confident and happy?… I am yours forever….

How would you like to receive a love letter from your beloved?

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