(Response to King Erik XIV of Sweden's proposal of marriage:)"[ W]hile we perceive .. the zeal and love of your mind towards us is not diminished, yet in part we are grieved that we cannot gratify your Serene Highness with the same kind of affection. And that indeed does not happen because we doubt in any way of your love and honour, but, as often we have testified both in words and writing, that we have never yet conceived a feeling of that kind of affection towards anyone. We therefore beg your Serene Highness again and again that you be pleased to set a limit to your love, that it advance not beyond the laws of friendship for the present nor disregard them in the future.. We certainly think that if God ever direct our hearts to consideration of marriage we shall never accept or choose any absent husband how powerful and wealthy a Prince soever. But that we are not to give you an answer until we have seen your person is so far from the thing itself that we never even considered such a thing. I have always given both to your brother .. and also to your ambassador likewise the same answer with scarcely any variation of the words, that we do not conceive in our heart to take a husband but highly commend this single life, and hope that your Serene Highness will no longer spend time in waiting for us. Elizabeth I
About This Quote

This woman has a wonderful and interesting story and I would like to hear it, but her attitude is completely wrong. She says that she could never marry someone who doesn't live in Sweden, but she obviously has no idea of the meaning of the word "husband". The word "husband" is not to be taken as a man who lives in Sweden. Instead, it is the man who will make her happy and give her all the happiness she desires.

This woman isn't sure if she could ever love someone who lives in Sweden, but that's irrelevant. When we are married we join together as one and we will never be apart (though we can still live apart and at times we may be separated for years). That's the nature of marriage: we will always be together.

Source: Collected Works

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