"Writing process, 'Prelude', 'Peter Halket', you can't alter the pictures as they come to you" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/CAT/OS/1a-xxxii |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 8 July 1884 |
| Address From | Aspley Guise, Woburn, Bedfordshire |
| Address To | 24 Thornsett Road, South Penge Park, London |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Draznin 1992: 85 |
| 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. The address this letter was sent to is supplied by an associated envelope.
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1Aspley Guise
2July 8 / 84
3
4I am so glad I am going tomorrow but I feel weak to pack Yes, I have
5the feeling as if you & I were so young together.
6
7The dream, the faith, that I should find some one just like my self
8was with me all through my childhood. I think one would hardly believe
9how youg young it was there.
10
11You could say what you like about me to Mrs. Hinton or anyone. I Did
12you think “New Rush” not myself? The only part that is is where he
13sits & sorts. If you could have seen my condition when I wrote it you
14would wonder that it have even the little bit of “cleverness” it
15has. Nothing else I ever wrote was “clever”; it was all out
16pouring. I don’t like New Rush at all. I don’t feel as if it
17belonged to me. Some times I feel inclined to publish it for the sake
18of the £15 I should get for it. But you don’t think it would be
19right do you?
20
21I felt sure you must ^suffer^ from neuralgia some times. I am a little
22troubled about your life: that journey to & from London every day by train
23takes more out of you than you think. Please take care of yourself in
24the way of eating. Neuralgia is always a sign of low health. If one
25can keep up the physical side no amount of feeling or thinking hurts
26one. I am at present resolving to take care of my self ^body,^ so must
27you. ^that we may be strong & work.^
28
29I will write to you as soon as I get to Derbyshire. Send the diary.
30
31Olive
32
33^It isn’t Aspley Guise that’s so bad it’s just this spot. Give my
34love to Louie.^
35
2July 8 / 84
3
4I am so glad I am going tomorrow but I feel weak to pack Yes, I have
5the feeling as if you & I were so young together.
6
7The dream, the faith, that I should find some one just like my self
8was with me all through my childhood. I think one would hardly believe
9how youg young it was there.
10
11You could say what you like about me to Mrs. Hinton or anyone. I Did
12you think “New Rush” not myself? The only part that is is where he
13sits & sorts. If you could have seen my condition when I wrote it you
14would wonder that it have even the little bit of “cleverness” it
15has. Nothing else I ever wrote was “clever”; it was all out
16pouring. I don’t like New Rush at all. I don’t feel as if it
17belonged to me. Some times I feel inclined to publish it for the sake
18of the £15 I should get for it. But you don’t think it would be
19right do you?
20
21I felt sure you must ^suffer^ from neuralgia some times. I am a little
22troubled about your life: that journey to & from London every day by train
23takes more out of you than you think. Please take care of yourself in
24the way of eating. Neuralgia is always a sign of low health. If one
25can keep up the physical side no amount of feeling or thinking hurts
26one. I am at present resolving to take care of my self ^body,^ so must
27you. ^that we may be strong & work.^
28
29I will write to you as soon as I get to Derbyshire. Send the diary.
30
31Olive
32
33^It isn’t Aspley Guise that’s so bad it’s just this spot. Give my
34love to Louie.^
35
Notation
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription.
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription.