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Letter ReferenceT120 (M722): W.T. Stead Papers/33- pages 145-150
ArchiveNational Archives Depot, Pretoria
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date8 July 1897
Address FromMorley’s Hotel, Trafalgar Square, London
Address To
Who ToWilliam Thomas Stead
Other VersionsCronwright-Schreiner 1924: 224; Rive 1987: 312-3
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the National Archives Repository, Pretoria, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Micofilm Collections.
1Morley’s Hotel
2Trafalgar Sq
3July 8 / 97
4
5My dear old Friend
6
7It was indeed a pleasure to see you; Thankyou for coming.
8
9I was so glad my husband met you; & liked you so much. He realized
10what I have always done, that your heart is all right (your spiritual
11heart) even if you do seem to us to be going on the wrong tack
12politically!!! Please be careful not to mention anything we either of
13us said to you on public ^or South African^ matters in the Review of
14Reviews or else where
. You are quite mistaken as to my having or ever
15having had an unkindly feeling to Rhodes; if he would only leave South
16Africa alone & come back to England & live in a palace & enjoy life on
17the money he has made out of us & our country - it's the worst I wish
18him!!! It wouldn't undo the evil he has wrought to England, & to the
19natives if he were made to suffer. I am no believer in the infliction
20of punishment by humanity; they are always clumsy & generally wicked &
21cruel. The only just punishment in life, is that which the nature of
22existence compels each soul to inflict on itself!
23
24I was so glad to see you looking so fit physically. Physical strength
25^to do one's work^ is the first of the good things of life; - after the
26power of loving nature & folks, which is perhaps even the greater good.
27
28I was so glad to see Harry.
29
30Thine with all good wishes,
31Olive Schreiner
32
Notation
Rive’s (1987) version omits part of this letter and is incorrect in minor respects. Cronwright-Schreiner’s (1924) short extract is incorrect in a range of ways.