Jane Austen Quote of the Week 205

I have chosen this letter from Jane's Love and Friendship. It is part of Lettter The Firth - From a Young Lady Very Much in Love to Her Friend. It is regarding this letter sent from Mr Musgrove to Henrietta:

                                                                                                                  Sackville Street: January 7th

It is a month today since I first beheld my lovely Henrietta, and the sacred anniversary must, and shall, be kept in a manner becoming the day - by writing to her. Never shall I forget the moment when her beauties first broke on my sight - no time, as you well know, can erase it from my memory. It was at Lady Scudamore's. Happy Lady Scudamore to live within a mile of the divine Henrietta! When the lovely creature first entered the room, oh! what were my sensations? The sight of you was like the sight of a wonderful fine thing. I started - I gazed at her with admiration - she appeared every moment more charming, and the unfortunate Musgrove became a captive to your charms before I had time to look about me. Yes, madam, I had the happiness of adoring you, a happiness for which I cannot be too grateful. "What!' said he to himself. 'Is Musgrove allowed to die for Henrietta?' Enviable Mortal! and may he pine for her who is the object of universal admiration, who is adored by a colonel, and toasted by a baronet! Adorable Henrietta how beautiful you are! I declare you are quite divine! You are more than mortal. You are an angel. You are Venus herself. In short, madam, you are the prettiest girl I ever saw in my life - and her beauty is increased in her Musgrove's eyes, by permitting him to love her, and allowing me to hope. And ah! angelic Miss Henrietta, Heaven is my witness how ardently I do hope for the death of your villanous uncle and his abandoned wife, since my fair one will not consent to be mine till their decease has placed her in affluence above what my fortune can procure. Though it is an improvable estate -.


Cruel Henrietta to persist in such a resolution! I am at present with my sister where I mean to continue till my own house which, though an excellent one is at present somewhat out of repair, is ready to receive me. Amiable princess of my heart, farewell - of that heart which trembles while it signs itself -

Your most ardent admirer and devoted humble servant,

T. Musgrove.

This letter is then described by Henrietta to her friend Matilda as "Such sense, such sentiment, such purity of thought, such flow of language and such unfeigned love in one sheet."
I quite agree!

Pic: Buddha and true love
Extract from link above: "Life has a great need of the presence of love, but not the sort of love that is based on lust, passion, attachment, discrimination, and prejudice."