'... Briefly, I am in love with one, Caroline by name, of beauty and intelligence, and, as in the situation which must be all too frequent elsewhere, she does not love me. ... My reaction to this information was to prepare a poison for my use. ... A word or two about myself would seem in order.... I am twenty years old. ... I was educated at Bryanston where I did not work from pure laziness and lack of interest... and then decided to sit for a scholarship in History to Trinity College, Cambridge. And now Caroline... Why should'nt I kill myself if I so wish? ... Why am I going to a university, and further why am I going to read History there? How is this going to help me?（July 19, 1963）'
Dear Sir,
... May I say that I entirely understand your difficulty. I suggest that you look up Donne's "When by thy scorn, O murderess, I am dead...", and reflect that after writing this poem the lovelorn poet lived to become Dean of St. Paul's and to preach many eloquent sermons on death.
Unrequited love is like a serious illness -- very unpleasant while it lasts but usually not life-long. I should not treat this question as one of morality but as one of rational forecast of your future.
I hope that you will go up to Trinity to read History. It could open a new world to you, and I believe from what you write that you could make the most of this opportunity. Meanwhile, perhaps you might care to write to me a little later to tell me how your preparations for Cambridge are going with your tutor.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Bertrand Russell
(From: Dear Bertrand Russell; a selection of his correspondence with the general public, 1950 - 1968. Allen & Unwin, 1969.)
