HOW DO I LOVE THEE? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS...

Portraits of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning 

by Thomas Read

The VV's early childhood was often spent in front of a television set watching old black-and-white classic films. The Barretts of Wimpole Street (MGM, 1934) told the romantic story of the invalid Elizabeth Barrett who was wooed by Robert Browning when he fell in love with her poetry.

Fredric March was Robert Browning. Norma Shearer played Elizabeth

Or could the VV's memories be confused with the English version made in 1957, when the glamorous young Jennifer Jones played the part of our fragile heroine ~ but with little concession to the fact that Elizabeth was forty years old at the time of her marriage to Mr Browning.

Nevertheless, much of the film was based on real facts ~ facts which provided a story full of Victorian melodrama, with Elizabeth's possessive father being utterly opposed to the thought of her ever leaving home. 

Eventually, she ran away and married Browning in secrecy. They lived in Italy for 15 years, and there Elizabeth had a son. However, her health was in decline and in 1861 - the same year as Queen Victoria was to lose her beloved Albert - she died while held in her husband's arms.

But, their passion lives on through their writing, for during a courtship of 20 months the couple wrote nearly 600 letters, in which Browning's passion was clear from the start ~ as you'll see in the fan letter below. Nothing short of a declaration of love ...

January 10th, 1845
New Cross, Hatcham, Surrey

I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,--and this is no off-hand complimentary letter that I shall write,--whatever else, no prompt matter-of-course recognition of your genius and there a graceful and natural end of the thing: since the day last week when I first read your poems, I quite laugh to remember how I have been turning again in my mind what I should be able to tell you of their effect upon me--for in the first flush of delight I thought I would this once get out of my habit of purely passive enjoyment, when I do really enjoy, and thoroughly justify my admiration--perhaps even, as a loyal fellow-craftsman should, try and find fault and do you some little good to be proud of herafter!--but nothing comes of it all--so into me has it gone, and part of me has it become, this great living poetry of yours, not a flower of which but took root and grew... oh, how different that is from lying to be dried and pressed flat and prized highly and put in a book with a proper account at bottom, and shut up and put away... and the book called a 'Flora', besides! After all, I need not give up the thought of doing that, too, in time; because even now, talking with whoever is worthy, I can give reason for my faith in one and another excellence, the fresh strange music, the affluent language, the exquisite pathos and true new brave thought--but in this addressing myself to you, your own self, and for the first time, my feeling rises altogether. I do, as I say, love these Books with all my heart-- and I love you too: do you know I was once seeing you? Mr. Kenyon said to me one morning "would you like to see Miss Barrett?"--then he went to announce me,--then he returned... you were too unwell -- and now it is years ago--and I feel as at some untoward passage in my travels--as if I had been close, so close, to some world's-wonder in chapel on crypt,... only a screen to push and I might have entered -- but there was some slight... so it now seems... slight and just-sufficient bar to admission, and the half-opened door shut, and I went home my thousands of miles, and the sight was never to be!

Well, these Poems were to be--and this true thankful joy and pride with which I feel myself. Yours ever faithfully Robert Browning

Elizabeth wasted little time in expressing her own affection for him. Below is her 43rd Sonnet, which was later published in a book entitled Sonnets from the Portuguese ...

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 candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the 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.