"About Rebecca Schreiner, OS's childhood, her writing" Read the full letter
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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.58
ArchiveNational Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date After Start: 1 October 1892 ; Before End: 8 October 1892
Address FromKimberley, Northern Cape
Address To
Who ToMary Sauer nee Cloete
Other VersionsRive 1987: 210
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 month and year have been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner visited Kimberley at the start of October 1892.
1 My own darling Mary
2
3 Did you misunderstand my letter? Dear one, it was just because I want
4so terribly that your visit should come up to your ideal. I am sending
5you this letter I got this morning from a dear friend who lives in
6Belgravia in a beautiful house, & whom you would I know like. Her
7husband is a well known West End Dr Dr but they who makes several
8thousands a year, but they are splendid people. If you took rooms
9quite close to her where could always be with her when I had to be out
10of town perhaps it would be quite lovely. I can introduce you to so
11many many many delightful people, not mere acquaintances of mine, but
12close friends, who who would love you, & you would never need to be
13alone.
14
15 That W Mackenzie she talks of is a delightful young barrister who I
16was able to help a little when he first came up to London a poor man
17who didn't know people, & he & a great many other men & women would
18always be ready to go out with you, & take you to see things when I
19couldn't. Do darling write & tell me if you will come. Can't you
20understand my feeling of fear that you would not be as happy as you
21thought???
22
23 I don't know
24
25 If you do you will you not see Mr Fuller. I have taken a berth in a
26three berthed cabin, but if we two are going get him to give us one of
27the real large cabins if you can. He ought to for two. I may have to
28keep my berth most of the voyage I don't know. I was quite well going
29home, & very ill coming out.
30
31 If you would rather have a cabin to yourself of course its all right,
32but I want you so with me
33
34 Your
35 Olive
36
37 ^I leave this on Thursday the 9th for Matjesfontein.^
38
Notation
The first page of this letter is on the back of the end of a letter from Isaline Philpot, presumptively to Olive Schreiner, writing:

Good bye, don’t forget to send me a word as to when you are coming.
Always your loving
Isaline Philpot

Rive’s (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect