There are so many different ways to express that you love someone; often, though, it can be hard to find the words to encapsulate all the emotion within.

When it comes to declarations of love, however, the words you write in your Valentine’s card need not be entirely your own; over the centuries so many writers and poets have made art of sentiment.

I am a ‘quodophile’: I collect quotes that strike a chord with me, noting them down in a book. For this Valentine’s Day, I am sharing with you my favourite ten love quotations from my collection. I hope these put you in the mood for romance today, and inspire you to tell that special someone how you feel.

If, like me, you love quotations, do follow me on Twitter, where I share my favourite quotes on love, life and the arts each day.