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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/29
ArchiveUniversity of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date1909
Address Fromna
Address To
Who ToBetty Molteno
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease 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. The year has been written on this letter in an unknown hand and the name of the addressee is indicated by content. The first page of the letter is missing.
1[page/s missing]
2
3 2
4
5 but he wont let it for less than 12 months & I only want it for 4
6months; I sometimes wonder if you & Miss Greene were here ^if^ you might
7like to hire it for the other eight. Its a beautiful house with
8verandah’s & alcoves like an Italian house looking wide out over the
9Atlantic. One of my day dreams is to buy it, when I’ve finished my
10novel!!! But he wants £1,750 for it, which he says is what it cost!!
11I’m always so well when I’m up there. Its been built for years, but no
12one has ever lived in it because they think its too lonely, & high, &
13they call it "Zan Zÿls Folly", but I think its heavenly.
14
15 I’m sending a little look to England Adela Smith’s husband is going to
16see about getting it published for me.
17
18 I do miss Mrs Murray & Lucy Molteno so; just knowing they were here
19seemed to make a difference.
20
21 Tell Miss Greene she must come out & be secretary to our society just
22to give us a good start
23
24 Good bye dear one.
25 I long to see you
26 Olive
27
28
29
Notation
The novel Schreiner dreams of finishing is From Man to Man and the 'little book' she is sending to England is Closer Union. The latter originated as a lengthy article published in the Transvaal Leader on 21 December 1908 and the Cape Times on 22 December 1908 (p.9); it appeared as a short book in 1909. On the back of the page, Betty Molteno has written several impossible to read paragraphs beginning 'You see, Beloved...'.