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A Romantic Love Letter written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) to Charlotte von Stein.

It is believed that this romantic love letter was written June 17, 1784.

At the time this letter was written Charlotte was married to another man. Although their marriage had been for political reasons she still bore him seven children (her three daughters had died shortly after birth). There is no written proof other than this letter of any romantic love affair although it is obvious from reading the letter that they were very fond of each other. Their relationship lasted 12 years before he suddenly — without telling her — moved away to Italy and it took several years to patch up the friendship again although never again as close.

My letters will have shown you how lovely I am. I don’t dine at Court, I see few people, and take my walks alone, and at every beautiful spot I wish you were there.

I can’t help loving you more than is good for me; I shall feel all the happier when I see you again. I am always conscious of my nearness to you, your presence never leaves me. In you I have a measure for every woman, for everyone; in your love a measure for all that is to be.

Not in the sense that the rest of the world seems obscure to me, on the contrary, your love makes it clear; I see quite clearly what men are like and what they plan, wish, do and enjoy; I don’t grudge them what they have, and comparing is a secret joy to me, possessing as I do such an imperishable treasure.

You in your household must feel as I often do in my affairs; we often don’t notice objects simply because we don’t choose to look at them, but things acquire an interest as soon as we see clearly the way they are related to each other. For we always like to join in, and the good man takes pleasure in arranging, putting in order and furthering the right and its peaceful rule.

Adieu, you whom I love a thousand times.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) is regarded by many as a German literary genius. In 1774 he wrote the popular Die Leiden des jungen Werthers (The Sorrows of Young Werther), which caused a sensation. In 1775 he lived in Weimar, where he met and fell in love with Charlotte von Stein to whom he wrote this letter. She was the inspiration for the heroine of his play Iphigenie auf Tauris (1787) and Natalie in his Wilhelm Meister novels. It was many years later in 1808 that he produced his most famous work, Faust.