"Johannesburg, fiendish hell, veld all round" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JOANHodgson/1 |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 15 August 1918 |
| Address From | Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Joan Hodgson nee Wickham |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| 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.
|
1Dear Joan
2
3I’ve not written to you or John because I knew life would be so full
4for you both, you wouldn’t want anything more to tax your time or
5thoughts. Dear, I felt so tender to you on your wedding day. It
6recalled mine so much to me. But one can’t say what one feels.
7
8You’ll be so busy thinking about your house now. I wonder if you
9have taken that house John spoke of near Luton.
10
11Its so interesting getting ones home right. I never cared a straw for
12houses & furniture till I got married, & then I was quite absorbed
13getting the house right. Its a kind of instinct – like birds making
14their nests!!
15
16My favourite, beloved nephew Oliver Schreiner has just got engaged to
17a girl in South Africa, whom he hasn’t seen for 6 years. I’m so
18awfully anxious to know all about it. Marriage is so much more solemn
19than any thing else.
20
21Good bye, dear. I do want great good & happiness for you both. You are
22both such exceptional & loveable people.
23
24Your small ancient aunt
25Olive
26
279 Porchester Place
28Edgware Rd
29August 15th 1918
2
3I’ve not written to you or John because I knew life would be so full
4for you both, you wouldn’t want anything more to tax your time or
5thoughts. Dear, I felt so tender to you on your wedding day. It
6recalled mine so much to me. But one can’t say what one feels.
7
8You’ll be so busy thinking about your house now. I wonder if you
9have taken that house John spoke of near Luton.
10
11Its so interesting getting ones home right. I never cared a straw for
12houses & furniture till I got married, & then I was quite absorbed
13getting the house right. Its a kind of instinct – like birds making
14their nests!!
15
16My favourite, beloved nephew Oliver Schreiner has just got engaged to
17a girl in South Africa, whom he hasn’t seen for 6 years. I’m so
18awfully anxious to know all about it. Marriage is so much more solemn
19than any thing else.
20
21Good bye, dear. I do want great good & happiness for you both. You are
22both such exceptional & loveable people.
23
24Your small ancient aunt
25Olive
26
279 Porchester Place
28Edgware Rd
29August 15th 1918