Romantic love letters from the masters

I haven't heard from you or heard from you lately, and I've been puzzling over how I can solve this intractable problem. Even though people say I'm smart, I can't do anything about it.

Recently, I washed my hair, but it wasn't very successful. I'm not as careful as you are. Everything here reminds me of you: the "Almaga" shawl, the dictionary, the fine pipe, which we thought had been lost. Every little thing about this little retreat, my lonely lair, reminds me of you.

Greetings and kisses if this letter reaches you. May the devil take whoever intercepted our communication.

Voltaire to Dunoyer

They keep me here in the King's name, and they can take my life, but they can't take my love for you. Yes, my love, I shall see you tonight, if I were to lose my head. For God's sake, don't write those terrible words. You must live, be careful, and watch your mother as you watch your enemy number one.

What am I talking about?! You need to watch out for everyone around you. You can't trust anyone. As soon as the moon rises, you must be ready, and I shall disguise myself and leave the inn, and hire a carriage or a ride. We would hurry to Scheveningen, and I would take paper and ink with me in case I needed to write.

If you love me, take a breath. Summon up all your courage and remain calm. Make sure your mother doesn't notice. Take your drawing with you. Be assured that they could threaten me with the most terrible punishment, and not prevent me from serving you. No, nothing can separate us, our love is based on morality, and it will coexist with our life.

Goodbye, I will risk anything for you. You are worth so much more. Goodbye, my dear heart.

George Byron to Theresa

I finished reading the book in your garden. You were not at home, my love, or I could not have read it all in one sitting. You like this book best, whose author happens to be a friend of mine.

You won't understand the words "my love" in English, and neither will anyone else, which is why I don't write them in Italian. But you can recognize the handwriting of your ardent lover, and surely you can guess that when he reads a book of yours, he can only think of love. This word is beautiful in all languages, but especially in yours - Amor Mio(Italian for "my love") it covers this life and the rest of my life.

I can feel the beat of my life now, and I can feel that my life will continue -- it is you who will decide the meaning of my life's continuation. My fate is bound up with you, and you are a young woman, twenty-nine years old, only two years from the convent. I love you, and you love me, or so I hear you tell me, and you show it by your actions. No matter what the circumstances, when I think of it, it is a great comfort.

However, just a "love" word, and how can express my deep feeling for you, I will love you to the sky, to the old, may you often miss me! Though the Alps and the sea separate us, we will never be apart unless you want to be.

Robert Shuyan to Clara

Writing to you is the only way to make my eyes close. I've been waiting for the express mail for the last two hours. The roads are terrible. We may not be able to move on until 2:00 a.m. I can see you before my eyes, my dearest Clara as if you were right next to me.

And let me tell you, my future is much more secure. Of course, I can't sit on my hands. I'll have to work even harder if I'm to win that wonderful figure you see in the mirror.

My life in Leipzig was easy, I'm at peace now, who knows? Perhaps your father won't refuse to give us his blessing when I ask. There's a lot to think about, but right now I trust our angel of love. Fate made us for each other, and I knew it early on, though I didn't dare to tell you earlier or ask for your understanding.

Next time I will give you a more complete explanation of the sentences I scribbled today. If you can't fully understand, then you should know that my love for you is beyond words. The room was dark now, my partner was asleep, and there was a blizzard outside. I, on the other hand, will find shelter in a corner, with a cushion over my head, and think of nothing but you.