#truelovethursdays : John Keats
Today's #Truelovethursdays post (where we share a classic movie or literary quote each Thursday to get your hearts all aflutter), is brought to you by John Keats and is an excerpt from a letter he wrote to his beloved (and neighbour) Fanny Brawne - the original girl next door.
Oh the shame that we no longer speak this way, that the handwritten letter has become something of nostalgia and that the language we use to express our feelings is so devoid of any substance, devoid of the unabashed freedom of expression that pours through these classic love letters.
Happy Swooning!
The full letter is below:
This moment I have set myself to copy some verses out fair. I cannot proceed with any degree of content. I must write you a line or two and see if that will assist in dismissing you from my Mind for ever so short a time. Upon my Soul I can think of nothing else – The time is passed when I had power to advise and warn you again[s]t the unpromising morning of my Life – My love has made me selfish. I cannot exist without you – I am forgetful of every thing but seeing you again – my Life seems to stop there – I see no further. You have absorb’d me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I was dissolving – I should be exquisitely miserable without the hope of soon seeing you. I should be afraid to separate myself far from you. My sweet Fanny, will your heart never change? My love, will it? I have no limit now to my love – You note came in just here – I cannot be happier away from you – ‘T is richer than an Argosy of Pearles. Do not threat me even in jest. I have been astonished that Men could die Martyrs for religion – I have shudder’d at it – I shudder no more – I could be martyr’d for my Religion – Love is my religion – I could die for that – I could die for you. My Creed is Love and you are its only tenet – You have ravish’d me away by a Power I cannot resist: and yet I could resist till I saw you; and even since I have seen you I have endeavoured often “to reason against the reasons of my Love.” I can do that no more – the pain would be too great – My Love is selfish – I cannot breathe without you.
Yours forever
John Keats
Hanson, Marilee. "John Keats Love Letter To Fanny Brawne – 13 October 1819" http://englishhistory.net/keats/letters/love-letter-to-fanny-brawne-13-october-1819/, February 4, 2015