Calling all hopeless romantics! If you love to read, love Valentine’s Day or simply love love itself, I have a treat for you. I was watching “Sex and the City: The Movie” the other night and instantly became attached to the book that Carrie reads aloud to Big, titled “Love Letters of Great Men.” I diverted my attention away from the screen and whipped out my phone. After learning that this book was literally just a large compilation of love letters written by historical figures, I was sold. Within minutes, I had ordered the book to be shipped to my apartment that week.
I should note that I chose to purchase the version of the book that includes letters from women as well because it’s 2021, and who needs to hear that much from men in one book anyway? So, “Love Letters of Great Men & Women” has held my attention since arriving at my doorstep, and it has made my appreciation for grand gestures and declarations of love grow stronger. And since I’m single and my Valentine this year will be my roommate, she has had the unavoidable pleasure of listening to me read various excerpts from the book aloud to her, Carrie-and-Big style.
The book includes love letters dated between the 18th century all the way to the present day (or 2010, when it was published again). It was originally published in 1924, however. It starts with a brief note from the editor, in which he introduces each era and gives a brief background into the writers’ stories. The actual letters begin on page 35, starting with Alexander Pope’s notes to Theresa Bath, followed by a letter to her sister, Martha — Yup. He was in love with sisters, but at least the love declarations were written years apart… There is more real drama within these pages than any soap opera I’ve seen.
The language in this book is everything. Because the excerpts come from as distant as 1703, you can imagine the writers’ vocabulary and intense flow of emotion. Take this line from John Churchill for example, in which he wrote to his wife, “[Your letters] were so very kind that if it were possible, you are dearer to me ten thousand times than you ever were. I am so entirely yours, that if I might have all the world given to me, I could not be happy but in your love.” Do I even need to explain why those two sentences alone make my heart swell?
But while there are countless romantic writings between these covers, there are also some hilariously blunt ones. This excerpt from Mrs. Howard in a letter to Charles Mordaunt gave me a particular chuckle. The correspondence between the two consists of Mordaunt’s attempted courting of Howard and Howard’s strong reluctance to his efforts because of her knowledge that Mordaunt has already confessed his love to multiple women across Europe. She writes, “I am therefore obliged, my lord, to believe that one who disposes of his heart in so profuse a manner is like a juggler, who seems to fling away a piece of money, but still has it in his own keeping.” It makes me laugh to imagine being in a fight with your significant other but waiting days for your fury-filled scribble to arrive at their doorstep before they even find out that you’re angry. Modern technology has stolen the element of suspense from us, I’d argue.
I plan on spending much of Valentine’s Day reading pages of love letters, patiently waiting for someone to come along whom I deem worthy of a note of similar nature. Luckily, there are a few versions of this book, so I have some time and reading to do before giving up hope. Whether you’re spending this V-Day cuddled up with your significant other, a friend or a book, I hope you have the best one yet!