"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/2a-viii |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Sunday 31 August 1884 |
| Address From | Bolehill, Wirksworth, Derbyshire |
| Address To | 24 Thornsett Road, South Penge Park, London |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Draznin 1992: 133 |
| 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 address this letter was sent to is provided by an associated envelope. Schreiner stayed at Bolehill near Wirksworth from early to late July 1884, moved to Buxton for about ten days, and then returned to Bole Hill from mid August to early September 1884.
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1^My bedroom^
2Sunday Afternoon.
3Sept ^Aug 31st^ 1884
4
5I have just got your Friday evening letter. It is very sweet to me.
6How strange you should have such a longing for music; the day you went
7I kept feeling “Oh if I could hear music, if I could hear music.” & I
8have been feeling more or less the same ever since.
9
10My heart, my sweet heart, has it got dull aching sensation! [bottom of
11page torn off]
12
13your Pocket Book? I think you will have to send a weekly copy of it to me.
14
15I am reading Lange History of Materialism. I like it very much It
16doesn’t exactly hinge in with my work somehow though. A notice of a
17terrible case at the Diamond Fields of abducting young girls for
18prostitution has much more fallen in with it. I haven’t been for a
19walk since you left except that once to Wirksworth. When I feel I
20can’t write any more I go & sit ^walk^ at the side of the house where we
21used to sit. Ach, Harry!
22
23Good night.
24Olive
25
26I shall be at our Farm at 10 o’clock on Wednesday. I don’t hate
27Bakewell, Harry.
28
2Sunday Afternoon.
3Sept ^Aug 31st^ 1884
4
5I have just got your Friday evening letter. It is very sweet to me.
6How strange you should have such a longing for music; the day you went
7I kept feeling “Oh if I could hear music, if I could hear music.” & I
8have been feeling more or less the same ever since.
9
10My heart, my sweet heart, has it got dull aching sensation! [bottom of
11page torn off]
12
13your Pocket Book? I think you will have to send a weekly copy of it to me.
14
15I am reading Lange History of Materialism. I like it very much It
16doesn’t exactly hinge in with my work somehow though. A notice of a
17terrible case at the Diamond Fields of abducting young girls for
18prostitution has much more fallen in with it. I haven’t been for a
19walk since you left except that once to Wirksworth. When I feel I
20can’t write any more I go & sit ^walk^ at the side of the house where we
21used to sit. Ach, Harry!
22
23Good night.
24Olive
25
26I shall be at our Farm at 10 o’clock on Wednesday. I don’t hate
27Bakewell, Harry.
28
Notation
The book referred to is: Frederick Lange (1877) A History of Materialism London: Trubner. 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.
The book referred to is: Frederick Lange (1877) A History of Materialism London: Trubner. 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.