"Downward movement of England, of South Africa, downtrodden millions" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/UNCAT/OS-55 |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Wednesday 8 July 1885 |
| Address From | 9 Blandford Square, Paddington, London |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Draznin 1992: 367-8 |
| 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.
|
1Wednesday
2
3I feel it now, Harry! I do kiss your hair & your eyes too. Does he
4want a tender little word sometimes! I feel it now Harry, that tender
5word! Do come on Friday evening We’ll have a restful little walk in
6the square if it’s fine! Page is coming in the afternoon to show me
7his drawings but he will be gone by half past six I think, & you would
8like to see the pictures eh?
9
10I’m the devil in about the Pall Mall. Please send my yesterdays copy
11to look at I tried to buy it but couldn’t. And I ordered it to be
12sent every evening, but they haven’t sent it. I’d like a lot of us
13women to write a letter to the
14
15^Pall Mall signing our names to it, backing the Pall Mall up^
16OS
17
18Just got your letter. Yes Aldis is very wrong sometimes, but I think
19its his way of putting things I’m sure I should agree with him if we
20talked
21
22I’d rather you didn’t mention me to Miss Jones, but you won’t
23need to now it doesn’t matter either way, my darling. I feel a
24little child’s trust in your hands. You can say & do what you like
25with me, my loving one.
26
27Olive
28
29Does Miss Jones tell you in her letter that you are like wax.
30
31Give my love to that dear old Louie.
32
2
3I feel it now, Harry! I do kiss your hair & your eyes too. Does he
4want a tender little word sometimes! I feel it now Harry, that tender
5word! Do come on Friday evening We’ll have a restful little walk in
6the square if it’s fine! Page is coming in the afternoon to show me
7his drawings but he will be gone by half past six I think, & you would
8like to see the pictures eh?
9
10I’m the devil in about the Pall Mall. Please send my yesterdays copy
11to look at I tried to buy it but couldn’t. And I ordered it to be
12sent every evening, but they haven’t sent it. I’d like a lot of us
13women to write a letter to the
14
15^Pall Mall signing our names to it, backing the Pall Mall up^
16OS
17
18Just got your letter. Yes Aldis is very wrong sometimes, but I think
19its his way of putting things I’m sure I should agree with him if we
20talked
21
22I’d rather you didn’t mention me to Miss Jones, but you won’t
23need to now it doesn’t matter either way, my darling. I feel a
24little child’s trust in your hands. You can say & do what you like
25with me, my loving one.
26
27Olive
28
29Does Miss Jones tell you in her letter that you are like wax.
30
31Give my love to that dear old Louie.
32
Notation
Schreiner's Pall Mall Gazette comment refers to its editor W.T. Stead's four articles under the heading of 'The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon' on prostitution and the age of consent, published in the paper on 6, 7, 8 and 9 July 1885; and Schreiner did indeed organise a petition in support of Stead. Draznin's (1992) version of this letter differs in some respects from our transcription.
Schreiner's Pall Mall Gazette comment refers to its editor W.T. Stead's four articles under the heading of 'The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon' on prostitution and the age of consent, published in the paper on 6, 7, 8 and 9 July 1885; and Schreiner did indeed organise a petition in support of Stead. Draznin's (1992) version of this letter differs in some respects from our transcription.