"Do not come, do not write, impersonal work" Read the full letter
Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/29 |
Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
Epistolary Type | Letter |
Letter Date | 13 February 1920 |
Address From | 9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London |
Address To | |
Who To | John Brown |
Other Versions | |
Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
Legend |
The Project is grateful to Manuscripts and Archives, University of Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscripts and Archives Collections. Schreiner was resident at Porchester Place from early April 1917 until August 1920, when she left Britain for South Africa.
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1
Feb 13th 1920
2
3 My dear old JB
4
5 It is strange I always feel better in the night. That is the only time
6I am able to write. Don’t think I ever forget you when you & Mary
7don’t hear from me.
8
9 Oliver has put my name down for a passage in the boat they go out in
10in September, but I don’t count on it, I just live on from hour to
11hour. I also do not know where I should go to if I came to Cape Town.
12The only place I can think of that house that used to be Dr Murrays at
13Kenilworth. I hear it is a boarding house now, & if if I could get an
14up stairs front room there I think I could breathe – but they may
15not be able to take me. It is such a nice open house with no fir trees
16close to it to cause asthma, & yet not near the sea. I think it such a
17nice description of an ideal world – "& there shall be no more sea."
18
19 Have you seen Carpenters new book, "Pagan & Christian Creeds"? I think
20you & Mary would like it. I’ll send my copy to Cron & ask him to
21send it on to you if you think you’d like to see it.
22
23 I’ve felt old Theo’s death very much. The last of my generation. I
24fear he suffered much.
25
26 Dear Miss Alice Greene died quite painlessly. She had no pain all
27through her illness She died not even knowing it was cancer to the end.
28 She wondered why she got so weak. It is terrible for Miss Molteno.
29
30 They are expecting Edna’s baby daily. I have only seen them three
31times in the last three months as I cannot now walk to the bus easily;
32walking even a few steps at once brings on the angina. But I shall
33hire a taxi & go & see the dear little one when it comes.
34
35 Things in Europe seem to me to be I am so thankful England has had to
36drop her mad attacks on Russia. One would like to live a few years
37longer to see a few rays of light breaking.
38
39 Keynes book is wonderful, & has done much good.
40
41 Good bye dear old friend. Much love to Mary & to our sweet Julie.
42 Olive
43
44 I often hear from Mrs Saul Solomon. She is aging much. I haven’t
45seen anything of Alice Corthorn for a long time
46
47Ursula’s address is Bizana Plumstead – close to the station, if
48you are in that part go & see her & her dear husband & baby. I hope
49you manage to get out for walks. One weakens so as soon as one has to
50leave off walking.
51
2
3 My dear old JB
4
5 It is strange I always feel better in the night. That is the only time
6I am able to write. Don’t think I ever forget you when you & Mary
7don’t hear from me.
8
9 Oliver has put my name down for a passage in the boat they go out in
10in September, but I don’t count on it, I just live on from hour to
11hour. I also do not know where I should go to if I came to Cape Town.
12The only place I can think of that house that used to be Dr Murrays at
13Kenilworth. I hear it is a boarding house now, & if if I could get an
14up stairs front room there I think I could breathe – but they may
15not be able to take me. It is such a nice open house with no fir trees
16close to it to cause asthma, & yet not near the sea. I think it such a
17nice description of an ideal world – "& there shall be no more sea."
18
19 Have you seen Carpenters new book, "Pagan & Christian Creeds"? I think
20you & Mary would like it. I’ll send my copy to Cron & ask him to
21send it on to you if you think you’d like to see it.
22
23 I’ve felt old Theo’s death very much. The last of my generation. I
24fear he suffered much.
25
26 Dear Miss Alice Greene died quite painlessly. She had no pain all
27through her illness She died not even knowing it was cancer to the end.
28 She wondered why she got so weak. It is terrible for Miss Molteno.
29
30 They are expecting Edna’s baby daily. I have only seen them three
31times in the last three months as I cannot now walk to the bus easily;
32walking even a few steps at once brings on the angina. But I shall
33hire a taxi & go & see the dear little one when it comes.
34
35 Things in Europe seem to me to be I am so thankful England has had to
36drop her mad attacks on Russia. One would like to live a few years
37longer to see a few rays of light breaking.
38
39 Keynes book is wonderful, & has done much good.
40
41 Good bye dear old friend. Much love to Mary & to our sweet Julie.
42 Olive
43
44 I often hear from Mrs Saul Solomon. She is aging much. I haven’t
45seen anything of Alice Corthorn for a long time
46
47Ursula’s address is Bizana Plumstead – close to the station, if
48you are in that part go & see her & her dear husband & baby. I hope
49you manage to get out for walks. One weakens so as soon as one has to
50leave off walking.
51
Notation
The quotation concerning 'and there shall be no more sea' is from Revelations 21:1. The book referred to is: Edward Carpenter (1920) Pagan and Christian Creeds London: George Allen & Unwin.
The quotation concerning 'and there shall be no more sea' is from Revelations 21:1. The book referred to is: Edward Carpenter (1920) Pagan and Christian Creeds London: George Allen & Unwin.