"I was bleeding to death, you saved my life" Read the full letter
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Letter ReferenceHRC/UNCAT/OS-102
ArchiveHarry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateSaturday 26 June 1886
Address FromThe Convent, Harrow, London
Address To
Who ToHavelock Ellis
Other VersionsCronwright-Schreiner 1924: 102; Draznin 1992: 418
PermissionsPlease 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.
1Sat night
2
3My Havelock,
4
5this afternoon Dr. Donkin came. We went the little Inn & had tea in
6the garden When we were sitting talking M & laughing I suddenly felt
7that terrible illness just like death that I used to have at the Cape.
8I thought I was dying. I lay down on the ground, it would have he the
9cold perspiration pouring from me; all in a moment I sat up quite well,
10 it was gone! You know I really thought I was dying; I feel
11particularly well now. It’s always so just after. In one moment I
12jumped up all right it was gone.
13
14I feel so tender to you. I wasn’t sweet to my boy; he will come again
15soon? The enclosed is from that prostitute. Return it.
16
17Your Olive
18
19A little ache of tenderness comes in my heart whenever I think of you.
20
Notation
The enclosure referred to is no longer attached. Draznin’s (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription. Cronwright-Schreiner’s (1924) extract is incorrect in various ways.