一、Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn
Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn
亨利八世写给安妮·博林
King Henry VIII originally courted Anne Boleyn’s sister Mary, but it was Anne who caught the English royal’s wandering eye — though she refused to be his mistress. She wanted to be Queen. Unfortunately for Anne, the temperamental King had another change of heart and ordered her execution in 1536. Henry VIII wrote Anne this letter in 1527:
国王亨利八世最初追求的是安妮·博林的姐姐玛丽·博林，不过皇室看中的却是安妮——虽然她拒绝做亨利八世的情妇。她想要做的是皇后，不过不幸的是，喜新厌旧的亨利八世之后却又变了心，1536年时下令处决安妮。1527年，亨利八世给安妮写下了这样的情书：
“I beg to know expressly your intention touching the love between us. Necessity compels me to obtain this answer, having been more than a year wounded by the dart of love, and not yet sure whether I shall fail or find a place in your affection.”
“我乞求你，清楚明白地告诉我你的心意，是否愿意与我相爱。我必须要得到这个答案，爱神之箭射中了我，伤口已一年有余，能否在你的心中占有一席之地，我却依然无从确定。”
二、Napoleon to His Wife Josephine
Napoleon to His Wife Josephine
拿破仑写给妻子约瑟芬
The ruthless French leader had a sweet side for his wife Josephine. Although he divorced her when she could not have children, he continued to write to her. A few days after they were married, Napoleon left to command the French army near Italy. In the following months, he frequently wrote, expressing how much he missed her. He wrote the following on July 17, 1796:
拿破仑这位法国革命领袖残酷无情，然而对妻子约瑟芬却有柔情的一面。虽然因为约瑟芬无法怀孕而和她离婚，但他依旧保持着对她的通信。在他们婚后没几天，拿破仑就离开家，前往离意大利不远处的前线指挥部队。在接下去的几个月中，他频繁地给妻子写信，表达相思之情。1796年7月17日，他在信中写道：
“Since I left you, I have been constantly depressed. My happiness is to be near you. Incessantly I live over in my memory your caresses, your tears, your affectionatesolicitude. The charms of the incomparable Josephine kindle continually a burning and a glowing flame in my heart. When, free from all solicitude, all harassing care, shall I be able to pass all my time with you, having only to love you, and to think only of the happiness of so saying, and of proving it to you?”
“自从与你分别，我时常郁郁寡欢。我的幸福就是能与你相依。我不断在记忆里重温你的爱抚、你的泪水、你深情的挂念。世上没有人能同你相比，你的魅力总会在我心中燃起熊熊烈火。我何时才能摆脱所有挂虑、所有恼人的担忧，和你共度生命中的每分每秒，向你证明，我只需要爱你，只需要想着向你诉说爱意时的幸福之感。”
三、Beethoven to His Immortal Beloved
Beethoven to His Immortal Beloved
贝多芬写给“永远的爱人”
The identity of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “immortal beloved,” who received a plethora of letters from the composer in 1812, is still a mystery, but historians believe it was Antonie Brentano, a diplomat’s daughter. Beethoven dedicated his Diabelli Variations Op. 120 to her, and in one of his letters found after his death, he famously wrote:
1812年，贝多芬“永远的爱人”收到了来自这位作曲家雪花般的来信，不过收信人的身份却依然无人知晓。不过，历史学家认为收信人是安东妮·布伦塔诺。安东妮·布伦塔诺是一位外交家的女儿，贝多芬将他创作的《迪亚贝利变奏曲》献给了她。贝多芬去世后人们找到了他生前的书信，在其中有一句著名的话：
“Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, Be calm–love me–today–yesterday–what tearful longings for you–you–you–my life–my all–farewell. Oh continue to love me–never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved. Everthine. Ever mine. Ever ours.”
“我的人躺在床上，但我的思绪却飞向了你，我永远的爱人。请保持冷静-爱我-今天-昨天-我的眼中饱含泪水思念着你-你-你-我的生命-我的一切-永别了。噢，继续爱我吧，不要误会我这颗最赤诚地爱着你的心。我永远属于你。你永远属于我。我们永远属于彼此。”
四、Winston Churchill to His Wife Clementine
Winston Churchill to His Wife Clementine
温斯顿·丘吉尔写给妻子克莱芒蒂娜
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine were married for 56 years and wrote to each other whenever they were apart. Winston wrote this letter to Clementine on Jan. 23, 1935, while she was traveling abroad:
英国首相温斯顿·丘吉尔和妻子克莱芒蒂娜携手走过了56个春秋，两人只要是分别，都会给对方写信。丘吉尔于1935年1月23日给正在国外旅游的克莱芒蒂娜写道：
“My darling Clemmie, in your letter from Madras you wrote some words very dear to me, about having enriched your life. I cannot tell you what pleasure this gave me, because I always feel so overwhelmingly in your debt, if there can be accounts in love…What it has been to me to live all these years in your heart and companionship no phrases can convey.”
“我亲爱的克莱米，你从马德拉斯寄来的信中写道让你的人生更为丰富，这些话对我来说太珍贵了。我无法表达出你给我带来了多少的快乐，因为我在想，如果爱也能够计算，那么我欠你的实在太多……这些年来，你对我的爱始终没有停歇，陪伴在我身边，我实在难以用言语表达这些事对我的意义。”
五、Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood
Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood
查尔斯·达尔文写给妻子爱玛·韦奇伍德
Charles Darwin, author of Origin of Species, wrote a pros and cons list for getting married, and eventually decided to propose to his first cousin Emma Wedgwood. The couple had a happy marriage, producing 10 children. Charles wrote this note to Emma just a few days before their wedding in 1839:
《物种起源》的作者查尔斯·达尔文列出了一张婚姻利弊清单，最终他决定向表妹爱玛·韦奇伍德求婚。他们两人婚姻美满，膝下有十个儿女。1839年两人结婚的前几天，达尔文在给爱玛的信中写道：
“How I do hope you shall be happy as I know I shall be. My own dearest Emma, I earnestly pray, you may never regret the great and I will add very good, deed you are to perform on the Tuesday: my own dear future wife, God bless you…”
“我多希望你也能和我一样幸福——我知道，我的未来将会有多幸福。我最爱的爱玛，你只属于我。我诚挚地祈祷，希望你永远不会为我们星期二要做的伟大举动而后悔。我会竭尽所能使之完美：我亲爱的未来的妻子，愿上帝保佑你……”
六、Frida Kahlo to Diego Rivera
Frida Kahlo to Diego Rivera
弗里达·卡罗写给迭戈·里维拉
Although artist Diego Rivera was 20 years older than painter Frida Kahlo, she called him her “big child.” Kahlo loved Rivera, even though he was reportedly unfaithful. She once said, “I suffered two grave accidents in my life. One in which a streetcar knocked me down … The other accident is Diego.” The following is from a letter that Kahlo sent to Rivera in 1940:
墨西哥著名艺术家迭戈·里维拉尽管比画家弗里达·卡罗年长二十岁，弗里达·卡罗仍然将他唤作自己的“大孩子”。虽然有传闻称迭戈·里维拉不忠，不过弗里达·卡罗依旧爱着他。她曾说：“我的人生有两大沉痛的意外：一是被一辆有轨电车撞倒……二就是遇见了迭戈。” 下面的这段话出自1940年卡罗写给里维拉的一封信：
“Diego my love- Remember that once you finish thefrescowe will be together forever once and for all, without arguments or anything, only to love one another. Behave yourself and do everything that Emmy Lou tells you. I adore you more than ever. Your girl, Frida (Write me).”
“迭戈，我的爱人——请你记住，当你完成那副壁画之后，我们就将永远在一起，不会离开彼此了。我们不会争执，只会全心全意地爱着彼此。听话点，按照艾米·卢说的去做。我比从前任何时候都爱你。你的爱人，弗里达（回信给我）”
七、Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor
Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor
理查德·波顿写给伊丽莎白·泰勒
Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were Hollywood’s It couple for over a decade. They fell in love on the set of Cleopatra in 1963, and married and divorced twice. Burton wrote this letter to Taylor during the early part of their first marriage in 1964:
理查德·波顿和伊丽莎白·泰勒这对夫妇曾叱咤好莱坞十余载。1963年在拍摄《埃及艳后》时，他们两人坠入爱河，之后经历过两次离离合合。1964年，波顿在他们第一次婚姻之初给泰勒写道：
“My blind eyes are desperately waiting for the sight of you. You don’t realize of course, E.B., how fascinatingly beautiful you have always been, and how strangely you have acquired an added and special and dangerous loveliness.”
“我目不见物，只愿再看到你。当然，你无法感受得到，伊丽莎白，你是多么地有魅力，你的可爱是多么地危险。”
八、Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan
Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan
罗纳德·里根写给妻子南希
President Ronald Reagan wrote several love notes to his wife and eventual First Lady, starting when the couple first met. Nancy compiled some of his letters in her book I Love You, Ronnie. He gave her this note on Valentine’s Day in 1977:
自相识以来，美国总统罗纳德·里根给她的妻子、后来的第一夫人写过多封情书。南希后来将其中的一部分收入了她的《我爱你·罗尼》一书。1977年的情人节，里根将这封情书交给了南希：
“Dear St. Valentine,
“亲爱的圣瓦伦丁：
I’m writing to you about a beautiful young lady who has been in this household for 25 years now—come March 4.
我写的这封信同一位美丽的女士有关。到今年3月4日，她就在这个家庭生活了足足25年了。
I have a request to make of you but before doing so feel you should know more about her. For one thing she has 2 hearts—her own and mine. I’m not complaining. I gave her mine willingingly, and like it right where it is. Her name is Nancy but for some time now I’ve called her Mommie and don’t believe I could change.
我想请求您做一件事，但是在此之前，我希望您能对她有更多的了解。首先，她有两颗心：一颗是她自己的心，一颗是我的心。我对此毫无怨言，因为我心甘情愿地将自己的心交予了她，也希望这颗心一直在那。她的名字叫南希，不过一段时间以来我一直叫她“妈妈”，已经无法改口了。
My request of you is—could you on this day whisper in her ear that someone loves her very much and more and more each day? Also tell her, this “Someone” would run down like a dollar clock without her so she must always stay where she is.”
我对您的请求是：在今天这个特别的日子里，能否悄悄地靠在她耳边对她说，有一个人深爱着她，他的爱与日俱增？同时也请告诉她，如果没有她，这个人会像电子表一样停止运转，所以请她一直留在这个地方。”
九、Jerry Orbach to His Wife Elaine
Jerry Orbach to His Wife Elaine
杰里·奥尔巴赫写给妻子伊莱恩
The Law and Order star used to leave love poems for his wife every morning next to her coffee. Their 25-year marriage ischronicledin the book Remember How I Love You: Love Letters from an Extraordinary Marriage. Jerry wrote this letter to Elaine on one Valentine’s Day:
出演《法律与秩序》的演员杰里·奥尔巴赫每天早上都会在他妻子的咖啡旁放上一封情书。他们长达25年的婚姻全部都被记录在《记得我有多爱你：不一般的婚姻爱情书信》一书中。杰里在情人节给他的妻子写道：
“Valentine’s Day is here again. The weather looks cold andclammy…But I can happily go to work and try not to act toohammy. Cause I’ve got a warmness in my heart from my sunshine, my lifeline, my lambie! (I wish I could stay home and vie you a kiss!) xxx’s Jer”
“情人节又一次到来，天气又冷又湿……不过我能高高兴兴去上班，而且还得尽力让自己不要手舞足蹈。因为我的心中充满温暖，这份温暖来自于我的阳光，我的生命线，我的小乖乖！（多希望能留在家里，给你一个深情的吻！）你的杰里。”
十、Noah to Allie, The Notebook
Noah to Allie, The Notebook
《恋恋笔记本》中诺亚写给艾丽
O.K., so Noah and Allie may be a fictional couple, but Nicholas Sparks is a genius when it comes to composing a goose bumps–worthy love note. Novel turned movie The Notebook is the ultimate Valentine’s Day go-to.
好吧，诺亚和艾丽是小说中编出来的一对，不过尼古拉斯·斯帕克斯在写起让人起鸡皮疙瘩的情书来可是个天才。小说改编的电影《恋恋笔记本》已经成为了情人节的保留节目。
“My Dearest Allie. I couldn’t sleep last night because I know that it’s over between us. I’m not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I’ll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent a summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I’d hoped to give to you forever. I love you. I’ll be seeing you. Noah.”
“我最爱的艾丽：昨夜我无法入眠，因为我知道，我们两人已经结束了。我的心中已经没有苦闷，因为我知道，我们之间的感情不是虚假的。如果将来我们都重新开始了自己的生活，在某个遥远的地方遇到了对方，我会对你快乐地微笑，回忆起我们在树下度过的那个夏天，回想起我们一起学习，在爱中成长。最美的爱情能够唤醒灵魂，让我们追求到更多；最美的爱情会在我们心中种下一团火焰，让我们的心灵回归平和。这就是你给与我的。我也是我曾希望能够永远带给你的。我爱你。我们会再相见的。诺亚。”