"Citizen franchise league, women here far behind, nothing like England" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/CAT/OS/3b-x |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 10 December 1884 |
| Address From | Alexandra House, Denmark Place, Hastings, East Sussex |
| Address To | 24 Thornsett Road, South Penge Park, London |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Cronwright-Schreiner 1924: 49-50; Draznin 1992: 252-3 |
| 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. An associated envelope provides the address this letter was sent to.
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1Alexandra House
2Dec 10 / 84
3
4Yes, Undine, the last part isn’t bitter because I wrote it not at
5Rattle Hoek, but at Ganna Hoek where I was so peaceful & hopeless &
6spiritual. It was the feeling I had in that year that I paint in Waldo
7when he goes to sit out in the sunshine, that placid calm, & I say
8that it was well to die so, because I knew that if one lived the eager,
9 striving, passionate heart would rise again. I may have copied it at
10Ga Rattle Hoek, I didn’t write it there, but in my little mud
11floored room with the holes in the roof at Ganna Hoek. I am afraid I
12am getting into that sweet resigned unpassionate state again.
13
14Why did you laugh at me so funnily for keeping the MS. of “An
15African Farm”? It puzzles me & I generally understand every thing
16you do. Why shouldn’t I keep my old MS. if, I like? It’s funny why
17you laughed at me & asked me if I thought they were so wonderful. I am
18working hard to-day. I wonder if I am doing good work or bad. One
19can’t know till a long time after. I am sending back my little boy.
20I like his little hands so.
21
22I am not doing any French or reading at all. I have only a little
23strength & I spend that on writing. I hardly know
24
25^why I wish for you tonight, but I do. I am not lonely, but I want to
26love you & make you happy a little.^
27
28Olive”
29
2Dec 10 / 84
3
4Yes, Undine, the last part isn’t bitter because I wrote it not at
5Rattle Hoek, but at Ganna Hoek where I was so peaceful & hopeless &
6spiritual. It was the feeling I had in that year that I paint in Waldo
7when he goes to sit out in the sunshine, that placid calm, & I say
8that it was well to die so, because I knew that if one lived the eager,
9 striving, passionate heart would rise again. I may have copied it at
10Ga Rattle Hoek, I didn’t write it there, but in my little mud
11floored room with the holes in the roof at Ganna Hoek. I am afraid I
12am getting into that sweet resigned unpassionate state again.
13
14Why did you laugh at me so funnily for keeping the MS. of “An
15African Farm”? It puzzles me & I generally understand every thing
16you do. Why shouldn’t I keep my old MS. if, I like? It’s funny why
17you laughed at me & asked me if I thought they were so wonderful. I am
18working hard to-day. I wonder if I am doing good work or bad. One
19can’t know till a long time after. I am sending back my little boy.
20I like his little hands so.
21
22I am not doing any French or reading at all. I have only a little
23strength & I spend that on writing. I hardly know
24
25^why I wish for you tonight, but I do. I am not lonely, but I want to
26love you & make you happy a little.^
27
28Olive”
29
Notation
Inside the envelope in Schreiner's handwriting is, ' [envelope torn] st of books'. Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription. Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) extract is incorrect in various ways.
Inside the envelope in Schreiner's handwriting is, ' [envelope torn] st of books'. Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription. Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) extract is incorrect in various ways.