"Am going to meet Rhodes, more solitary in this country than you can conceive" Read the full letter
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Letter ReferenceHRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JOANHodgson/6
ArchiveHarry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateFriday 21 May 1920
Address FromPorchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London
Address To
Who ToJoan Hodgson nee Wickham and John Hodgson
Other Versions
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. The day has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner was resident at Porchester Place from early April 1917 until August 1920, when she left Britain for South Africa.
1Friday Night
2
3Dear John & Joan
4
5Thanks so much for thinking of me. I long to see Mary Elizabeth, & you
6both & your beautiful house in its spring dress. But I can’t manage
7the journey. If your station was Victoria I might as its only a couple
8of paces from the bus to the platform but I can’t manage the other
9the least walking exertion brings on attacks of angina pectoris. I am
10leaving for South Africa on August the 13th when Oliver my nephew goes
11out. Its my last chance as I can’t travel alone, & I can’t face
12the life in this room any more I’ve not been out of London since
13that visit to you even or a day; its like being sentence to solitary
14confinement now I cant walk. I can just get to the shop at the corner
15& the little restaurant where I have my food. The doctors say I am mad
16to think of going out – but there comes a time when one doesnt care.
17
18Did I tell you Dots little one is to be born in July. I am very
19anxious about her away alone there under the Equator. But a friend of
20hers is going up from South Africa to be with her. It takes much
21longer to get from South Africa to the place where she lives than to
22come to England.
23
24Send me a snap of Mary Elizabeth if you have one.
25
26I expect the spring is lovely now out in your beautiful world. Here
27one can barely realize it is spring Perhaps later on I shall be well
28enough to manage the journey & come for a day.
29
30Thank you so much so very much for asking me.
31
32Kiss Mary Elizabeth for me
33Aunt Olive
34
35^I cant send the wire till tomorrow because Ive no one to take it for
36me to the post office^
37