My dearest Girl,
　　This moment I have set myself to copy some verses1　out fair. I cannot proceed2 with any degree of content3. I must write you a line or two and see if that will assist in dismissing4 you from my Mind for ever so short a time. Upon my Soul5 I can think of nothing else. The time is passed when I had power to advise and warn you against the unpromising6 morning of my Life7. My love has made me selfish. I cannot exist without you. I am forgetful of every thing but seeing you again—my Life seems to stop there—I see no further. You have absorb'd8 me. I have a sensation9 at the present moment as though I was dissolving10—I should be exquisitely11 miserable12 without the hope of soon seeing you. I should be afraid to separate13 myself far from you. My sweet Fanny, will your heart never change? My love, will it? I have no limit now to my love—Your note came in just here—I cannot be happier away from you. 'Tis14 richer than an Argosy15 of Pearles16. Do not threat17 me even in jest18. I have been astonished19　that Men could die Martyrs20 for religion21—I have shudder'd22 at it. I shudder no more—I could be martyr'd for my Religion—Love is my religion—I could die for that. I could die for you. My Creed23 is Love and you are its only tenet24. You have      ravish'd25 me away by a Power I cannot resist26; and yet I could resist till I saw you; and ever since I have seen you I have endeavoured27 often 'to reason28 against the reasons of my Love'. I can do that no more—the pain would be too great. My love is selfish. I cannot breathe29 without you.

        我最亲爱的姑娘，
        此刻我正准备誊写几个诗节。我写不下去，因为心里没有丝毫的满足感。我必须给你写上几句，看是否有助于把你从我的头脑中打发走，哪怕就一小会儿。我发誓我别无他法。我曾鼓足勇气提醒和警告你，我的青春前途黯淡，但那时已成为过去（我现在不会这么做了）。爱已让我变得自私。没有你我便不能生存。除了想再次见到你，我什么都不记得——我的生命似乎停滞了——我别无他念。你已经占据了我的全部心思。此时此刻我有一种销魂蚀骨的感觉——若无望迅速见到你，我会觉得凄惨不堪。我害怕与你分隔得太久。我亲爱的芳妮，你的心永远不会变吧？我的宝贝，不会吧？我的爱如今已彻底敞开——你的短笺我刚收到：“离开你甭提我有多痛快了。比得到一大船珍珠还开心。”不要威胁我，哪怕是开玩笑。我一直对那些为宗教而殉道的人感到诧异——我为此而战栗过。而今我不再战栗了——我也可以为我的宗教献身——爱情就是我的宗教——我可以为它去死。我可以为你赴汤蹈火——爱情是我的信条，你是它惟一的教义。你用一种我无法抗拒的力量彻底将我征服；好在我还能坚持到与你相见的那一刻；自从遇见你以后我曾竭力“与自己争辩爱为哪般”。现在我做不到了——那样实在太过痛苦。我的爱是自私的。没有你我不能呼吸。

A. John Keats to Fanny Brawne
1819

约翰·济慈给芳妮·布劳恩的信（1819年）         约翰·济慈（1795-1821）：著名的英国诗人，他被认为是英国最伟大的诗人之一。 他的作品包括：《古希腊瓶颂歌》，《亮星》，《摆脱不去的恐惧》，《傲慢的美妇人》等。