Olive Schreiner Letters Online

Letter Reference	HRC/UNCAT/OS-87HRC/OS/FRAG
Archive	Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin
Epistolary Type	Letter
Letter Date	13 March 1886
Address From	Bournemouth, Dorset
Address To
Who To	Havelock Ellis
Other Versions	Draznin 1992: 407-8

The manuscript of this letter by Olive Schreiner belongs to the Archive referenced above; its ownership of the original should be acknowledged by referencing the letter as indicated: Copyright transcription: © Olive Schreiner Letters Project. This transcription can be freely used as long as copyright is acknowledged and it is referenced using the following citation: ‘Olive Schreiner to Havelock Ellis, 13 March 1886, Harry Ransom Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Olive Schreiner Letters Project transcription’. Please also supply letter line numbers for specific quotations.

Legend
The Project is grateful to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, the University of Texas at Austin, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscript Collections. This letter has been dated by reference to information written onto it by Ellis. Schreiner was resident at a number of addresses in Bournemouth from mid February to mid March 1886.

1:  [page/s missing]
2: 
3:  It will be splendid I am so glad, a weight seems gone from my mind. I
4:  have wanted so that some line of literary work should open to you for
5:  with which you are suited. You would form the most perfect Editor for
6:  an advanced review that could be thought of. I seem to see now your
7:  line of life for some years to come. Darling I long to talk it over
8:  with you. Even if he does not offer very much, do it.
9: 
10:  The more I have seen of practical medicine the more I have felt that
11:  your beautiful, earnest truthful scientific mind is not suited for
12:  that life. You might as well set me to write two-penny novellets. If
13:  you could become a physician, & quietly carry on scientific studies in
14:  a hospital, for the well & good, for the life of a general
15:  practitioner you have not one of the necessary vices.
16: 
17:  Harry you mustn’t go & get money before I do.
18: 
19:  I am going to live at a place called Earl South Bourne-on-Sea, a wild
20:  lonely place, a point sticking into the sea about three miles from
21:  this. There are only about ten houses, & sand & rough grass. Oh my own
22:  boy I want you so. I went to see it today, & I wanted you to walk
23:  about there with me.
24: 
25:  Harry, my own my otherself. there has been such a crying out in my
26:  heart for you lately. If I go to South-Bourne I shall get quite strong,
27:  & you will come & spend a week with me. Harry you mustn’t die before
28:  me. Please tell me, do you ever feel pain or weakness in your back.
29:  Dear I put my arms round that back & try to strengthen it.
30: 
31:  This time last year you were with me at St Leonards. Give my love to
32:  Louie.
33: 
34:  Olive
35: 
36:  Rooms are cheap & South Bourne. If I can get a cheap one I shall have
37:  lots of money.
38: 

Notation
The beginning of this letter is missing. Draznin's (1992) version of the letter is in some respects different from our transcription.