BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, [12 APR. 1911]
BRACERS 17089. ALS. Morrell papers #29, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell and A.G. Bone

Fernhurst1^, 2
Wed. mg.

My Darling

It is very interesting indeed hearing about your life — I love to know all that you have told me. I won’t put you through an examination in logic — I never went to lectures on logic myself, so I can’t be supposed competent. I get a pleasure reading of all the beautiful places in Italy that you have been to and that I love too — I think I have been to all the places you speak of. — I am glad of your seriousness, for my sake. For your sake it would be happier if you found it easier to believe in joy, but then you would grow impatient with me when I cannot believe in it, as will occur. We shall both in time learn to know that the joy is real — when we have had whole days together it will be easier. Dearest, I do give you myself — every bit of myself. Not a thought would I keep back, (except of course other people’s affairs, which sometimes take up a good deal of thought). I want to mingle everything, as far as we possibly can. I think you know that I give you myself, just as I know you do, only that at times it seems incredible. There is, I suppose, for everybody whose life has a purpose, an ultimate solitude somewhere — a region where one lives with one’s purpose, and everybody is judged by it. But in that region I see that your purpose and mine are the same, and that (however it may be from me to you) you can help me to realize my purpose. My purpose has been very dominant — I found the work I wanted early, and in spite of coquetting with politics, I have really been always dominated by it.

It is a nuisance about Logan. You must manage to get him away before I come. Ray won’t matter, she is inobservant. I don’t know whether to tell Logan I am coming or not. Do which you would do if I were an ordinary visitor. I think Ray will be gone next week probably.

Darling, I wish I had come and were with you now. I do long for you — and I long for the strength and peace and joy you give me — and I long for your voice and your kiss. O my Dearest, I do love you with all my strength, with all possible love. I love dearly your outward beauty, and more dearly the beauty of your mind — your shy thoughts that you hardly dare to speak of are wonderful. Goodbye my Dearest Dearest — I must stop.

Your
B.

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  [document] Document 000029. Proofread against a colour scan of the original.

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  [envelope] A circled “29”. The Lady Ottoline Morrell | Cliff End | Studland | Dorset. Pmk: FERNHURST | AM | AP 12 | 11. On the verso: WAREHAM | 2 30 AM | AP 13 | ?