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Letter ReferenceHRC/UNCAT/OS-8
ArchiveHarry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateSunday 25 January 1885
Address From4 Robertson Terrace, Hastings, East Sussex
Address To
Who ToHavelock Ellis
Other VersionsCronwright-Schreiner 1924: 57; Draznin 1992: 297
PermissionsPlease 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. This letter has been dated by reference to information written onto it by Ellis. Schreiner was resident at two addresses in Hastings from the end of November 1884 to the end of April 1885.
1Sunday Morning
2
3My little bit of sweet sunshine came this morning: thankyou for it. It
4was good to know you are about, it makes ^me^ also stronger. My
5other-self, my brother came to see me last night He was so wonderful
6tender to me. It seems like a dream. He talked so nicely of you. I
7told him how near we were. My otherself, you are part of me, no love
8that I give to anyone else comes between us. Let thy heart rest.
9
10I wrote a nice little note to Miss Jones. Somehow I feel so loving to
11every one. I am so weak sometimes I feel I shall never be well again,
12but I am very happy. Ach every thing good comes to those people who
13wait, Henry. The sympathy I have longed for the feeling of never being
14alone in the world you have brought me, perhaps if I wait I shall have
15the power to work brought back to me too. But oh Henry it would be so
16beautiful just to lean my head back as I am sitting here & die. I am
17just satisfied now.
18
19Your, Olive
20
21Henry you know all I have suffered in my life has been my own fault
22nearly. If I had been wise, & unselfish I wouldn’t have suffered – but
23
24Evening late.
25Goodnight boy. Sleep sweet.
26
27^Please go to see Eleanor if you can.^
28
Notation
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.