Several Love Letters Through History
Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Schuyler
Background: These letters were sent in the months leading up to their marriage on December 14, 1780 during the Revolutionary War. Hamilton was famously killed in a duel with Aaron Burr, then Vice President, on July 12, 1804.
His surviving wife, Eliza, wore a small package around her neck until her death, containing the pieces of a sonnet Alexander wrote for her during the early days of their courtship.. Eliza died at the age of 97 in 1854.*
* http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2010/08/elizabeth-schuyler-hamilton.html
August 8, 1780 – Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Schuyler
Immediately after dinner, I stole from a crowd of company to a solitary walk to be at leisure to think of you, and I have just returned to tell you by an express this moment going off that I have been doing so. You are certainly a little sorceress and have bewitched me, for you have made me disrelish every thing that used to please me, and have rendered me as restless and unsatisfied with all about me, as if I was the inhabitant of another world, and had nothing in common with this. I must in spite of myself become an inconstant to detach myself from you, for as it now stands I love you more than I ought—more than is consistent with my peace. A new mistress is supposed to be the best cure for an excessive attachment to an old— if I was convinced of the success of the scheme, I would be tempted to try it— for though it is the pride of my heart to love you it is the torment of it to love you so much, separated as we now are.
October 5, 1780 – Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Schuyler
I have told you, and I told you truly that I love you too much. You engross my thoughts too entirely to allow me to think of any thing else—you not only employ my mind all day; but you intrude upon my sleep. I meet you in every dream—and when I wake I cannot close my eyes again for ruminating on your sweetness. ‘Tis a pretty story indeed that I am to be thus monopolized, by a little nut-brown maid like you—and from a statesman and a soldier metamorphosed into a puny lover. I believe in my soul you are an enchantress; but I have tried in vain, if not to break, at least, to weaken the charm—you maintain your empire in spite of all my efforts—and after every new one, I make to withdraw myself from my allegiance my partial heart still returns and clings to you with increased attachment. To drop figure my lovely girl you become dearer to me every moment. I am more and more unhappy and impatient under the hard necessity that keeps me from you, and yet the prospect lengthens as I advance. …
Ludwig Van Beethoven to unknown “Immortal Beloved”, 1812
Even in bed my ideas yearn towards you, my Immortal Beloved, here and there joyfully, then again sadly, awaiting from Fate, whether it will listen to us. I can only live, either altogether with you or not at all…
Johnny Cash to June Carter Cash, 1994
Many famous love letters are lengthy with floral prose. Johnny Cash’s words are simple, straight to the point, and pure in their expression:
Happy Birthday Princess,
We get old and get used to each other. We think alike.
We read each other’s minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted.
But once in awhile, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met. You still fascinate and inspire me.
You influence me for the better. You’re the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence. I love you very much.
Happy Birthday Princess.
John
Another Thought…
As we finished our first love letter in gold, three of the women in our store saw a little gold purse with a diamond clasp….and instantly loved it. In the spirit of re-imagination and re-symbolization, if you wish, this can be an ultimate high end purse. It’s a delight either way.
