"Post-war typhoid, misery, common bond gone" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Letters/163 |
| Archive | |
| Epistolary Type | |
| Letter Date | 1 March 1886 |
| Address From | Bournemouth, Dorset |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Cronwright-Schreiner 1924: 94 |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
When Cronwright-Schreiner prepared The Letters of Olive Schreiner, with few exceptions he then destroyed her originals. However, some people gave him copies and kept the originals or demanded the return of these; and when actual Schreiner letters can be compared with his versions, his have omissions, distortions and bowdlerisations. Where Schreiner originals have survived, these will be found in the relevant collections across the OSLO website. There is however a residue of some 587 items in The Letters for which no originals are extant. They are included here for sake of completeness. However, their relationship to Schreiners actual letters cannot now be gauged, and so they should be read with caution for the reasons given.
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1To Havelock Ellis.
2Bournemouth, 1st March.
3
4Mrs.- comes to see me every afternoon. She says it helps her so much.
5I feel so selfish because I would rather be alone because I am
6beginning to work now. But, you know, it isn't real selfishness
7because I do give my work to other people, and it may help more people
8than talking or writing to one. This question between the duty to the
9individual and the work is the agony of my life. Whichever side I
10decide for my conscience tortures me on the other. ... I have been
11looking at Towards Democracy with such pleasure. I like that "Have
12faith." Please give my love to Edward Carpenter when you write, and
13tell him how I am liking him. I couldn't see him really in London,
14only the outward man, because I was crushed. I feel very happy and
15restful now. There is something so nice in knowing you must and may
16lie still on your back.
17
2Bournemouth, 1st March.
3
4Mrs.- comes to see me every afternoon. She says it helps her so much.
5I feel so selfish because I would rather be alone because I am
6beginning to work now. But, you know, it isn't real selfishness
7because I do give my work to other people, and it may help more people
8than talking or writing to one. This question between the duty to the
9individual and the work is the agony of my life. Whichever side I
10decide for my conscience tortures me on the other. ... I have been
11looking at Towards Democracy with such pleasure. I like that "Have
12faith." Please give my love to Edward Carpenter when you write, and
13tell him how I am liking him. I couldn't see him really in London,
14only the outward man, because I was crushed. I feel very happy and
15restful now. There is something so nice in knowing you must and may
16lie still on your back.
17