"Wicked mad diplomacy, lying & darkness" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/UNCAT/OS-62 |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 12 August 1885 |
| Address From | 16 Portsea Place, Westminster, London |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Cronwright-Schreiner 1924: 78; Draznin 1992: 375 |
| 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 at Portsea Place from mid August to late October 1885.
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1Evening 5 o’clock
2
3I am going to bed I can’t keep about any more. Your heart must feel
4very weary my sweet comfort about the exam, the money it has cost. Oh
5my Henry if I could help you. You looked so tired, so heart weary. My
6sweet I do put my arms round you & try to comfort you what poor way I
7can. Oh Henry, how each of us has to live alone & bear our burden
8alone.
9
10When will you come to me again. When it is a fine warm day & I am
11stronger we must go for the whole day to Hampstead Heath. If I could
12work, if I were not quite so weak I should not feel plunged in this
13gulf of melancholy.
14
15Good bye. I kiss those dear wonderful eyes. I would help thy soul to
16be glad if I could, reflection of myself.
17
18Olive
19
2
3I am going to bed I can’t keep about any more. Your heart must feel
4very weary my sweet comfort about the exam, the money it has cost. Oh
5my Henry if I could help you. You looked so tired, so heart weary. My
6sweet I do put my arms round you & try to comfort you what poor way I
7can. Oh Henry, how each of us has to live alone & bear our burden
8alone.
9
10When will you come to me again. When it is a fine warm day & I am
11stronger we must go for the whole day to Hampstead Heath. If I could
12work, if I were not quite so weak I should not feel plunged in this
13gulf of melancholy.
14
15Good bye. I kiss those dear wonderful eyes. I would help thy soul to
16be glad if I could, reflection of myself.
17
18Olive
19
Notation
A version of the letter is in Draznin (1992). Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) extract includes material from a different letter and is also incorrect in other ways.
A version of the letter is in Draznin (1992). Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) extract includes material from a different letter and is also incorrect in other ways.