Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning Love Letters

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! Although I did not get to spend the day with my husband he sent me a huge bouquet of my favorite flowers, white tulips and of course sent me lots of chocolates, from Belgium.

My evening was spent listening to several talented musicians, to include my friend John Patek, violinist, Jared (forgot his last name), the cellist, Jarend’s  sister who preformed on the viola, his mother a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra played the bass, as well as a pianist and a mandolin player. The setting, the Wisconsin Women’s Club ballroom was magical and the music romantic, haunting and fabulous.

Image from here

Speaking of romantic, yesterday I told you about one of my favorite books,Love Letterswhich as I mentioned is filled with copies of actual love letters from famous couples the world over, to include Elizabeth Barret Browning and Robert Browning. Yesterday, Valentines Day the following press release was published:

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To Reveal the Art of the Handwritten Love Letter, Two Colleges Use Technology 

The legendary correspondence between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning—broken seals, envelopes, crossed-out handwriting, and all—will be released online on Valentine’s Day in the largest digitization effort of love letters ever undertaken

Wellesley, Mass.—On Valentine’s Day, some of the most famous love letters ever written will be viewable in their original handwritten form, thanks to the joint efforts of Wellesley College (Massachusetts) and Baylor University (Texas). The 573 letters of the poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning, which are owned and housed by Wellesley’s Margaret Clapp Library, have been digitized through a partnership with Baylor University and will be made available online through Baylor’s Digital Collections beginning February 14, 2012. The collaborative project provides unprecedented free access to these celebrated letters for scholars and romantics alike—and may inspire readers to opt for pen and paper over text messages and emails this Valentine’s Day. “

image from here

The 573 letters written between January 1845 and September 1846, began as a simple fan letter one could say from Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barrett and continued until a week after their secret marriage. Elizabeth had been forbidden by her father to get married, as had her siblings, and so Elizabeth and Robert married in secret. Elizabeth was then disinherited and her father never spoke to her again. Elizabeth and Robert moved to Italy where Elizabeth recovered a bit from her life long illnesses and then had her son at the age of 42.

Theseletters which had previously been transcribed and only available for viewing at Wellesley are now available for you to peruse at your leisure, every scribble, the nuisance’s of the handwriting, the script, and even the envelopes. You can read, decipher or just look at any one of these remarkable and romantic letters. From which grew what is said to be some of the two poets best and most famous works.

How Do I Love Thee?

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.

Sonnet XLIII

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Are you a poetry fan? Do you like Elizabeth Barrett Browning or Robert Browning? I am excited to be able to try to read these beautiful 167 year old love letters and to relive their beautiful romance.

I hope you have a great day!