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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.40
ArchiveNational Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date After Start: October 1891 ; Before End: November 1891
Address FromMatjesfontein, Western Cape
Address To
Who ToMary Sauer nee Cloete
Other VersionsRive 1987: 195-6
PermissionsPlease 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 date has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Content indicates Schreiner was in Matjesfontein when it was written.
1 Darling Mary,
2
3 I am so glad you came. I've never felt so near you before nor loved
4you so. Mary, you have to go through a time of certain trouble &
5awakening in your own life, but I believe that in the end & as the
6result of it you & your husband will be nearer than you ever were
7before & you will have a larger power of helping him, which is what
8you so long for. Only hold by all that is greatest & best in yourself
9my darling. I wish we could spend the winter abroad together. I can't
10help you: my own nature struggles too feebly after the the beautiful
11for me to do that but you would have some one near you whom you knew
12loved you utterly. Dear there are very few human beings I care for as
13I do for you, & none who could fill your place ^to^ for me.
14
15 I have been going through the most straining time of my life the last
16eight months, & it has left me a little dis-cordant mentally; but I am
17loving you more than I ever loved you.
18
19 Mrs ?Key ought not to have charged you for any thing. I told her not
20to &c. I send you 10/- only to day for my chicken &c, you can pay for
21yourself but I would let you pay for me if I stayed with you!! You
22shall come & stay at my farm
23
24^some day - if I ever have one
25
26 Thy Olive^
27
28 ^Don't trouble about the things I've ordered them from the stores
29
30 OS^
31
32 ^Dr Donkin Harley St is the doctor I want you to go to. Just mention
33you are a friend of mine & he will do all he can for you.^
34
Notation
Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect.