"Women, independence, marriage" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Edward Carpenter 359/39 |
| Archive | Sheffield Archives, Archives & Local Studies, Sheffield |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 21 March 1889 |
| Address From | Mentone, France |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Edward Carpenter |
| Other Versions | Rive 1987: 152 |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to the Sheffield Archives, Sheffield Libraries, Archives and Information Services, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Archive Collections. The date has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner stayed in Mentone from December 1888 to later March 1889 and left there for Paris.
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1
My beautiful old Ed’ard
2
3 I have been clinging to you these last days as a little child clings
4to its mother. Some far off day to come it will be seen what a light
5you were, how far before your time.
6
7 I have been passing through much darkness, & when I have looked round
8the world for a ray of light, I have found you. Go on your path,
9Edward, my beautiful brother.
10
11 I am obliged to go to Paris on private business but don’t mention
12the fact to anyone.
13
14 I will write & give you my address when there.
15
16 Edward, pray for me. Talking isn’t of any use, but if you should let
17your thought go out to me, I think I should feel it.
18
19 Your little thing in W.P.P. is beautiful. I liked about the old
20Harpist.
21
22 Edward, I want to love always the poorest, lowliest natures. You are
23right, they are nearer God.
24
25 Olive
26
27 There is something wrong, something all wrong in this life of ours. I
28have so much to learn.
29
30
31
2
3 I have been clinging to you these last days as a little child clings
4to its mother. Some far off day to come it will be seen what a light
5you were, how far before your time.
6
7 I have been passing through much darkness, & when I have looked round
8the world for a ray of light, I have found you. Go on your path,
9Edward, my beautiful brother.
10
11 I am obliged to go to Paris on private business but don’t mention
12the fact to anyone.
13
14 I will write & give you my address when there.
15
16 Edward, pray for me. Talking isn’t of any use, but if you should let
17your thought go out to me, I think I should feel it.
18
19 Your little thing in W.P.P. is beautiful. I liked about the old
20Harpist.
21
22 Edward, I want to love always the poorest, lowliest natures. You are
23right, they are nearer God.
24
25 Olive
26
27 There is something wrong, something all wrong in this life of ours. I
28have so much to learn.
29
30
31
Notation
The 'little things' refers to a part of Carpenter's Towards Democracy. See: Edward Carpenter (1885) Towards Democracy Manchester: John Heywood; and the 'little thing' is: Edward Carpenter "The Mother to Her Daughter" Women's Penny Paper vol 1 no 21, 16 March 1889, pp.6-7. Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter.
The 'little things' refers to a part of Carpenter's Towards Democracy. See: Edward Carpenter (1885) Towards Democracy Manchester: John Heywood; and the 'little thing' is: Edward Carpenter "The Mother to Her Daughter" Women's Penny Paper vol 1 no 21, 16 March 1889, pp.6-7. Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter.