The love affair between two of the Victorian era's most famous poets is one of passion, tragedy, illness, and ultimately, endurance. Collected here are their love letters, which capture their courtship, their blossoming love, and their forbidden marriage. This is the story of one of history's great love affairs. The relationship between Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning began in his admiring her poetry. His audacious first letter moves from loving her books to loving her. She was alarmed by his "extravagance", and worried that he might substitute lioness-worship for real feeling. Much of her hesitation came from knowing that love can bring injury as well as boon. She had suffered such injury. The fullness of their love is revealed in these letters.