"Jan Smuts, front, facilities" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/UNCAT/OS-47 |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Wednesday 17 June 1885 |
| Address From | 41 Upper Baker Street, Marylebone, London |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Draznin 1992: 361 |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, the University of Texas at Austin, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscript Collections. This letter has been dated by reference to information written onto it by Ellis. Schreiner was resident in Upper Baker Street for the last part of May and June 1885.
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1My Havelock, I want you. I need you. In some ways I need you more than
2ever before.
3
4You are my family to me & fill up the that deep part of my heart, that
5if it were empty would make life all sad. Only what saddens me is that
6I feel as if you wanted what it’s not in my power to give anyone now.
7 Something so much less precious than what I give you. Mrs. Weldon
8gave the love to Hinton that you want, & now she talks of revenge. But
9it is natural you should want that kind of love. Even with the
10bitterness & hatred & lifelong separation that comes after it.
11
12^If you aren’t here on Thursday, I shall meet you at 10 at Victoria.^
13
14Olive
15
16^If I were in your place I should feel just as you do. But I
17shouldn’t be so sweet & glorious as you are. A deeper & deeper
18honour for you is always growing for you in my heart. Hardly any human
19being seems more & more noble as you come^
20
21^near to them, but you do.^
22
2ever before.
3
4You are my family to me & fill up the that deep part of my heart, that
5if it were empty would make life all sad. Only what saddens me is that
6I feel as if you wanted what it’s not in my power to give anyone now.
7 Something so much less precious than what I give you. Mrs. Weldon
8gave the love to Hinton that you want, & now she talks of revenge. But
9it is natural you should want that kind of love. Even with the
10bitterness & hatred & lifelong separation that comes after it.
11
12^If you aren’t here on Thursday, I shall meet you at 10 at Victoria.^
13
14Olive
15
16^If I were in your place I should feel just as you do. But I
17shouldn’t be so sweet & glorious as you are. A deeper & deeper
18honour for you is always growing for you in my heart. Hardly any human
19being seems more & more noble as you come^
20
21^near to them, but you do.^
22
Notation
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter differs in some respects from our transcription.
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter differs in some respects from our transcription.