My mistress and my friend �

My heart and I surrender themselves into your hands, and we supplicate to be commended to your good graces, and that by absence your affection may not be diminished to us, for that would be to augment our pain, which would be a great pity, since absence gives enough, and more than I ever thought could be felt. This brings to my mind a fact in astronomy, which is, that the further the poles are from the sun, notwithstanding, the more searing is the heat. Thus it is with our love: absence has placed distance between us, nevertheless, fervour increases, at least on my part. I hope the same from you, assuring you that in my case the anguish of absence is so great that it would be intolerable, were it not for the firm hope I have of your indissoluble affection towards me. In order to remind you of it, and because I cannot in person be in your presence, I send you the thing that comes nearest that is possible � that is to say, my picture, and the whole device, which you already know of, set in bracelets, wishing myself in their place when it pleases you.

This is the hand of

Your servant and friend,

H.R.