"Dream for federation of South Africa, one day we shall need love & devotion of black & coloured man" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Letters/404 |
| Archive | |
| Epistolary Type | |
| Letter Date | 12 July 1890 |
| Address From | Matjesfontein, Western Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Cronwright-Schreiner 1924: 191 |
| 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.
2Matjesfontein, 12th July.
3
4I spent some days in Worcester with Ettie on my way up and was very
5ill there. But I got here early this morning and am better. You know I
6feel a little lonely sitting here alone in my house after I've been
7among human beings. I had a happy time in Cape Town; they were kind to
8me. ... You know people do make fun of my not having been able to eat
9with other people, and do perhaps tell lies about me, but I don't
10think that anyone really can believe it. It seems such a ridiculously
11small thing to cast such a shadow over a life as it has over mine.
12It's so bad to be ridiculous; however, it doesn't matter. ... I am
13well, but I'll never be quite strong unless I marry, and I never will.
14
2Matjesfontein, 12th July.
3
4I spent some days in Worcester with Ettie on my way up and was very
5ill there. But I got here early this morning and am better. You know I
6feel a little lonely sitting here alone in my house after I've been
7among human beings. I had a happy time in Cape Town; they were kind to
8me. ... You know people do make fun of my not having been able to eat
9with other people, and do perhaps tell lies about me, but I don't
10think that anyone really can believe it. It seems such a ridiculously
11small thing to cast such a shadow over a life as it has over mine.
12It's so bad to be ridiculous; however, it doesn't matter. ... I am
13well, but I'll never be quite strong unless I marry, and I never will.
14