"The taal letter" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | HRC/UNCAT/OS-98 |
| Archive | Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 31 May 1886 |
| Address From | The Convent, Harrow, London |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Havelock Ellis |
| Other Versions | Draznin 1992: 415-6 |
| 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 lived at the Convent in Harrow from late May to late September 1886.
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1My own boy, my heart aches with tenderness to you tonight I can’t
2leave off writing to you. I wouldn’t have written so badly this
3morning only I’ve got hay fever & I am fighting so just to keep up.
4
5On M Wednesday next I am going with Mrs to see Mrs Cash, that lady who
6said “We are earnest people in Hampstead’ to meet a Mr Ask
7As-quith & her sister in law, Mrs Cash (George Elliot’s) She is
8coming to fetch me in her carriage & I will sleep the night there.
9
10My boy, good night. My sweet brother soul, so pure, so spiritual, whom
11I never feel I love in kind in my better moments but come near to,
12
13your Olive
14
15says good night to you. Oh, sweet heart may it not ache tonight as it
16lies in its little bed.
17
18^My darling, darling, good night. Your heart mustn’t ache, it
19mustn’t ache.^
20
2leave off writing to you. I wouldn’t have written so badly this
3morning only I’ve got hay fever & I am fighting so just to keep up.
4
5On M Wednesday next I am going with Mrs to see Mrs Cash, that lady who
6said “We are earnest people in Hampstead’ to meet a Mr Ask
7As-quith & her sister in law, Mrs Cash (George Elliot’s) She is
8coming to fetch me in her carriage & I will sleep the night there.
9
10My boy, good night. My sweet brother soul, so pure, so spiritual, whom
11I never feel I love in kind in my better moments but come near to,
12
13your Olive
14
15says good night to you. Oh, sweet heart may it not ache tonight as it
16lies in its little bed.
17
18^My darling, darling, good night. Your heart mustn’t ache, it
19mustn’t ache.^
20
Notation
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription.
Draznin's (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription.