"The baby's holy little life" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | T120 (M722): W.T. Stead Papers/48- pages 190-191 |
| Archive | National Archives Depot, Pretoria |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | January 1896 |
| Address From | The Homestead, Kimberley, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | William Thomas Stead |
| Other Versions | Rive 1987: 270 |
| Permissions | Please 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. This letter has been dated by reference to when Stead's article on Rhodes and South African politics was published in February 1896, with Schreiner's 'next month' implying a date in January 1896.
|
1Address Homestead
2Kimberley
3
4Dear Friend
5
6Thankyou for your note. If you want to make up your mind with regard
7to Colonial affairs till Mr Garrett has been here twelve; it will be
8too late for you to do anything. Now is the time when you should speak
9& act. I would to God you were in this country now. No man who does
10not speak & understand Cape ^Dutch^ & who was not born & reared in the
11country, can under many long years of life & study get into real touch
12with our problems, by but you with your clear justice loving eyes
13should soon see some way into the heart of things. Poor old Rhodes! If
14he would throw up his arms now, confess everything & make a bold stand
15on at least the truth at last & for once! But his nature does not
16allow of it. I am waiting with a painful intensity of interest for
17
18^the next Review of Reviews. Give my love to your son. There is
19sterling gold in his nature. My husbands friendliest greetings to you.^
20Olive
21
22^N.B. I am send you some more cuttings in a news paper wraper. Please
23read them.^
24
2Kimberley
3
4Dear Friend
5
6Thankyou for your note. If you want to make up your mind with regard
7to Colonial affairs till Mr Garrett has been here twelve; it will be
8too late for you to do anything. Now is the time when you should speak
9& act. I would to God you were in this country now. No man who does
10not speak & understand Cape ^Dutch^ & who was not born & reared in the
11country, can under many long years of life & study get into real touch
12with our problems, by but you with your clear justice loving eyes
13should soon see some way into the heart of things. Poor old Rhodes! If
14he would throw up his arms now, confess everything & make a bold stand
15on at least the truth at last & for once! But his nature does not
16allow of it. I am waiting with a painful intensity of interest for
17
18^the next Review of Reviews. Give my love to your son. There is
19sterling gold in his nature. My husbands friendliest greetings to you.^
20Olive
21
22^N.B. I am send you some more cuttings in a news paper wraper. Please
23read them.^
24
Notation
The cuttings referred to are no longer attached. A laudatory article by Stead on Rhodes and South African politics; see: W.T. Stead "Cecil Rhodes of South Africa" Review of Reviews February 1896 pp.117-36. Its reference to the Jameson Raid two months earlier is oblique and by implication. Rive’s (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also incorrect in minor respects.
The cuttings referred to are no longer attached. A laudatory article by Stead on Rhodes and South African politics; see: W.T. Stead "Cecil Rhodes of South Africa" Review of Reviews February 1896 pp.117-36. Its reference to the Jameson Raid two months earlier is oblique and by implication. Rive’s (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also incorrect in minor respects.