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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner BC16/Box4/Fold1/1908/17
ArchiveUniversity of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date6 April 1908
Address FromMatjesfontein, Western Cape
Address To
Who ToCaroline Murray nee Molteno
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to Manuscripts and Archives, University of Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscripts and Archives Collections.
1 Matjesfontein
2 April 6th 1908
3
4 Dear Mrs Murray
5
6 You will have felt surprised that I have left your letter so long
7unanswered. But my heart became so bad at De Aar that I had to come
8down here four weeks ago. The attacks of angina have entirely ceased &
9I am feeling a new creature since I came down to this lower world. It
10is wonderful what a difference 2000 feet makes.
11
12 I shall perhaps be coming to Cape Town next Monday the 13th if I can
13find suitable quarters at Sea Point or Tamboer’s Kloof. My husband
14will come down about the 20th & when Parliament is over we shall
15return to de Aar. I shall let you know if I do come down on Monday
16because I want so much to see you. I am so anxious you should be
17president of our little womans enfranchisement league. Will you take
18it if we can arrange it? I don’t want to work on the matter if in
19the end you say ‘no’.
20
21 I hear Emily Hobhouse is coming down. I shall be so glad to see her.
22It seems to me her character has so beautifully deepened & expanded in
23the last years. Have you ever noticed how much later women keep on
24developing & expanding than men. Is it because many women have not had
25much free space for developing their own individuality in youth?
26
27 I am very sorry Mr Murray has not got in, so was my brother Will who
28was here the other day. I hope at some bye-election he will stand
29again. Matters are in a strangely muddled condition politically now.
30
31 Give my love to Mrs Charley Molteno when you see her, & tell her I am
32looking forward to seeing the new little son. I was so sorry I
33didn’t see your brother Percy & his wife while they were here. I was
34hoping if your brother Clifford got in for Simons Town we should see
35something of him while he was in Parliament. I have heard so much of
36him from Bettie that I am very anxious to meet him. I think he & my
37husband would have much in common, only they would probably argue
38furiously over the Native Question,
39
40^Yours ever ^
41 Olive Schreiner
42
43