"My arms stretching out to Alice Greene; if I could put my love into words, must feel it coming to you across the miles" Read the full letter
Letter Reference | HRC/UNCAT/OS-140 |
Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
Epistolary Type | Letter |
Letter Date | 17 January 1891 |
Address From | Matjesfontein, Western Cape |
Address To | |
Who To | Havelock Ellis |
Other Versions | Cronwright-Schreiner 1924: 201; Draznin 1992: 472 |
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. This letter has been dated by reference to information written onto it by Ellis. Schreiner was resident in Matjesfontein from mid April 1890 to mid March 1891, with occasional short visits elsewhere. The start of the letter is missing.
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1[page/s missing]
2
3very short. I am afraid she’ll break down if she doesn’t get enough to eat.
4
5My dear boy, good night. There are so many things I want to tell you.
6You know it will be a great blow to me ever to hear you are going to
7married because that will end our friendship: but I would be so glad
8for you & would love the woman so much if she would let me.
9
10Good night dear.
11Your Olive
12
13Tell Louie if she hasn’t already got the stuff, that I would rather
14have a black cashmere than a white brown. I like brown best, but I’ve
15only got a black hat that wouldn’t go we with brown, but if she’s got
16the brown
17
18 [paper frayed away, words missing] ^all right.^
19
2
3very short. I am afraid she’ll break down if she doesn’t get enough to eat.
4
5My dear boy, good night. There are so many things I want to tell you.
6You know it will be a great blow to me ever to hear you are going to
7married because that will end our friendship: but I would be so glad
8for you & would love the woman so much if she would let me.
9
10Good night dear.
11Your Olive
12
13Tell Louie if she hasn’t already got the stuff, that I would rather
14have a black cashmere than a white brown. I like brown best, but I’ve
15only got a black hat that wouldn’t go we with brown, but if she’s got
16the brown
17
18 [paper frayed away, words missing] ^all right.^
19
Notation
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription. Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) version includes material from a different letter and is also incorrect in other ways.
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription. Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) version includes material from a different letter and is also incorrect in other ways.