"Work, isolation, getting away from people" Read the full letter
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Letter ReferenceColenso Papers, MSS. Afr. s. 1293/8, 7-9
ArchiveBodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies, Rhodes House, University of Oxford
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date After Start: October 1914 ; Before End: December 1914
Address FromKensington Palace Mansions, De Vere Gardens, Kensington, London
Address To
Who ToSophie Colenso nee Frankland (m.1880)
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, for allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of their Special Collections. The year has been written on the letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner was resident at Kensington Palace Mansions from late October 1914 to late July 1915. The letter is on printed headed notepaper.
1Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel
2De Vere Gardens, W.
3Telephone: 3675 Kensington. Telegram: Apartment, London
4
5Dear Mrs Colenso
6
7I fear neither I nor my brother could do anything about the matter you
8wrote of. South Africa has no connection with that part, & if I were
9in Africa & wanted to get news of any one there, I should write to the
10military authorities here, in London. They are the only people who
11could allow news to get through. I feel much for the poor mother.
12Uncertainty is more killing than any knowledge. I do wish I could help her.
13
14I shall be so glad to see you if ever you can come. I am out every day
15from 2 to nearly four, but otherwise I never go out. I should always
16be in after 4 o’clock
17
18Yours very sincerely
19Olive Schreiner
20
21Yes, indeed, one is very lonely here now. Even in the Boer war one was
22not so lonely because though one was divided from one’s own old
23friends & relations, one had the Boers. I cannot glory in any war. It
24is always to me a crime.
25