I have selected some famous Victorian Love Letters to remember how feelings were described in that very special era... It was a gentler time, when ladies were very refined and gentlemen were kind...

My love in her attire doth show her wit,
It doth so well become her:
For every season she hath dressings, fit,
For winter, spring, and summer.
No beauty she doth miss,
When all her robes are on:
But Beauty's self she is,
When all her robes are gone.

I gave myself to him
And took himself for pay.
The solemn contract of a life
Was ratified this way

The value might disappoint
Myself a poorer prove
Than this my purchaser suspect
The daily own of love.

Depreciates the sight
But, 'till the merchant buy,
Still fabled, in the isles of spice
The subtle cargoes lie.

At least, "'tis mutual risk"
(Some found it mutual gain)
Sweet debt of life -each night to owe,
Insolvent every noon!

I went to the Garden of Love.
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And "Thou Shalt Not", writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore,

And I saw it filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.

Sonnets from the Portuguese, XIII
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough,
Between our faces, to cast light upon each?

I drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach
My hand to hold my spirit so far off
From myself.. me.. that I should bring thee proof,
In words of love hid in me... out of reach.

Nay, let the silence of my womanhood
Commend my woman-love to thy belief,
Seeing that I stand unknown (however wooed)
And rend the garment of my life in brief
By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,
Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief.

The beautiful background set and matching graphics were provided by Moon and Back Graphics. Please click on the logo below to see some gorgeous sets for your pages.