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Letter ReferenceHRC/CAT/OS/5a-x
ArchiveHarry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateThursday 5 August 1915
Address FromLlandrindod Wells, Wales
Address ToThe Old House, Speen, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
Who ToHavelock Ellis
Other VersionsDraznin 1992: 490-1
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. Dating this letter has followed an associated envelope and its postmark, which also provides the address it was sent to.
1c/o Dr Parker
2Llandrindod Wells / Wales
3Thursday
4
5Dear Havelock
6
7I don’t know what to say about Llandrindod. The air here is very, even
8strangely, pure – but ever since I came a damp West Wind has been
9blowing & you know how I hate damp. It has rained & rained; but I
10would much rather have rain than this heavy still moist air. This is
11how I have always pictured Cornwall. There’s such an absence of strong
12winds such as you have on the East Coast. But a person who thinks
13Cornwall nice would certainly like this For the country in England
14this place is dry. The moment it has rained every drop of water runs
15off & you can walk out in the most astonishing way. The wells are said
16to be splendid. The place is full. But if you told me some time before
17hand I could might g I think get you rooms or a boarding house. There
18are very good splendid hotels here, but expensive. Tell me what you
19would pay at most at an Hotel & what at a Boarding House and whan for
20rooms & whether you want 2 or 1 bedroom & one sitting room ^or what.^
21
22Having my teeth out has wonderfully & at once relieved my^ head & the^
23cough & breathing but the heart & internal pains remain the same.
24Still the pain ?of ^in my head^ from which I have suffered from so many
25years being gone I look much better, & my eyes are more open.
26
27I am boarding with my friends the Parkers. Dr Park is a terrible
28sufferer from Rheumatism that’s why he came here. His wife also is
29delicate, but I think he understands these wells & the treatment here
30thoroughly. I am having no treatment as having my teeth out cost so
31much, & next year I must get some teeth in as its so difficult to talk.
32 I must save up for that.
33
34I think I would like Llandrindod if I had friends here or a trap to
35drive out in. The Parkers are dear gentle folk but I never see them
36except to a short while at dinner ^lunch^ & supper – we have no dinner,
37we have a light meal at six – which just suits me – & at 9 exactly
38they both go to bed, & send up to my room a cup & Bengers food, which
39they both & by 9:30 the house is dark & quiet. I have my breakfast in
40my room – so I’m pretty much alone all day, & sit here at my window
41watching the grey Hills & mist & clouds. They say they sometimes have
42lovely whether
43
44^Here bright sun & breezes but I haven’t seen that yet. Of course an
45African takes a different view of these matters from an English person.^
46
47
48Good bye
49Olive
50
51^If you come here I’ll stay, if not, I’ll leave early in September.^
52
Notation
Draznin’s (1992) version of this letter is in some respects different from our transcription.