"Please don't discuss my affairs, my big sex book" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.14 |
| Archive | National Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | February 1891 |
| Address From | Matjesfontein, Western Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Mary Sauer nee Cloete |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections. The year has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner was resident in Matjesfontein from mid April 1890 to mid March 1891, with occasional short visits elsewhere.
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1
Dear Mary
2
3 You see what a broken reed I am to depend on! I am not going to
4Kimberley at all now & not coming to Town next week as I had intended.
5I find I'm too busy; & I have to go to Grahamstown the week after next
6to see my dear old mother. Wont you I am feeling such a longing to see
7her I can't stay away anymore. I do wish I could get her to come &
8live with me at Matjesfontein but she will never leave her convent, in
9about 12 years, she has only been away once for 24 hours. Dear, I long
10so to see you. It is very much for your sake that I'm coming to town
11in the winter.
12
13 If you shouldn't hear of any tiny cottage in the Gardens or a nice
14quiet bedroom & sitting room to let, there, let me know. The only
15place I have yet been able to find is Pools Hotel. At the
16International they can't let me have a sitting room or private
17entrance.
18
19 Dear, when I come back from Grahamstown, wont you come & spend a
20fortnight here with the children? They'll be such a delight to me
21
22 Olive
23
24 ^Are Mr Sauer & you unreadable.^
25
26 ^My big nephew is coming back to me on Wednesday. It's such a joy to
27have him^
28
2
3 You see what a broken reed I am to depend on! I am not going to
4Kimberley at all now & not coming to Town next week as I had intended.
5I find I'm too busy; & I have to go to Grahamstown the week after next
6to see my dear old mother. Wont you I am feeling such a longing to see
7her I can't stay away anymore. I do wish I could get her to come &
8live with me at Matjesfontein but she will never leave her convent, in
9about 12 years, she has only been away once for 24 hours. Dear, I long
10so to see you. It is very much for your sake that I'm coming to town
11in the winter.
12
13 If you shouldn't hear of any tiny cottage in the Gardens or a nice
14quiet bedroom & sitting room to let, there, let me know. The only
15place I have yet been able to find is Pools Hotel. At the
16International they can't let me have a sitting room or private
17entrance.
18
19 Dear, when I come back from Grahamstown, wont you come & spend a
20fortnight here with the children? They'll be such a delight to me
21
22 Olive
23
24 ^Are Mr Sauer & you unreadable.^
25
26 ^My big nephew is coming back to me on Wednesday. It's such a joy to
27have him^
28