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Letter ReferenceSmuts A1/194/9/65
ArchiveNational Archives Repository, Pretoria
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateAugust 1911
Address FromDe Aar, Northern Cape
Address To
Who ToIsie Smuts nee Krige
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the National Archives Repository, Pretoria, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections. The month and year have been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner was resident in De Aar from November 1907 until she left South Africa for Britain and Europe in December 1913, but with some fairly lengthy visits elsewhere over this time.
1 Dear Isie
2
3 It seems such ages since I had any news of you. My health has been
4worse the last year & I’ve almost given up writing letters to my
5oldest & dearest friends.
6
7 I hope you are all well & happy. Are you still at Irene or have you
8moved into Pretoria?
9
10 No One very beautiful thing happened to me this year. My Brother
11Will’s wife & children are going up to the Falls & he invited me to
12go with them & paid my ticket like the dear old fellow he is. It was
13so delightful: the falls were so wonderful & we were all so happy
14together, & I kept so fit all the way. You must go & see the Falls
15some day if you’ve not been yet.
16
17 Give my heartiest greetings to Neef Jan. He must have thought I was
18mad when he got my note to him some months ago. I misread a word in
19his letter. He said "I am a Laodicean." I read it, "I am a
20Socialist." I did wonder rather! & thought he meant it as a joke!
21– so took it that way. I did wonder since when he had been a
22socialist!!
23
24 I would have sent you a copy of my book for yourself, dear; but I know
25you don’t care much for reading books in English so waiting till I
26got a copy of the Dutch translation. I have only had one copy in Dutch
27which my husband collared as soon as it came. I’ll send you one as
28soon as more Dutch copies come. I know you are not very much interest
29in the woman’s question, but I like to send it you just because I
30love you. I haven’t been to Cape Town for more than a year & a half.
31Will perhaps be going to Cape Town next summer. If so do let me know
32when you pass.
33
34 Good bye.
35
36 Love to you all. I expect the children have grown much since I saw
37them.
38
39 Thine ever
40 Olive Schreiner
41
42
43
Notation
'My book' referred to by Schreiner is Woman and Labour.