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Letter ReferenceMary Gladstone (Mrs Drew) Add. 46244, f.172
ArchiveBritish Library, Department of Manuscripts, London
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateJune 1889
Address FromLadies Chambers, Chenies Street, Camden, London
Address To
Who ToMary Drew nee Gladstone (m. 1886)
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the British Library for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections. The date has been written on the letter in an unknown hand.
1 Ladies' Chambers
2 Chenies St
3 London WC
4
5 Dear Mrs Drew
6
7 I've been waiting so long always in the unwavering faith that some day
8the time would come when I could say what I want it. It never will. In
9London it is just like being a spoke in a wheel, you put yourself in &
10then you fly round after that whether you will or not. I never go out
11& yet I have never time for any thing but writing notes. I don't know
12how you people do who go out.
13
14 I think, I agree with you fully on the subject of divorce. It has the
15same relation to marriage that the removal of a limb has to cancer,
16its not a cure it's simply ^sometimes^ the only thing to be done. It's
17in what takes place before marriage & in the monetary independence of
18woman what who we have to find the cure for unhappy marriages, it
19seems to me.
20
21 I wonder if the Mrs Butler is Josephine Butler. She doesn't seem "to
22see round life" as the Yankees say. But if she's Josephine Butler
23she's a rare beautiful soul whom we couldn't do without any how.
24
25 I read your letter in the P.M.G. when it came out with great interest,
26but had not the slightest idea it was by you. Thank you for sending it.
27 This doesn't need an answer, but if you had a photograph of yours to
28spare I should value it much.
29
30 Yours sincerely
31 Olive Schreiner
32
Notation
Mary Drew's letter in the was signed 'Democrata' and was written in support of the Wiedemann Fair Trial Fund concerning a high-profile divorce case and women's rights concerning divorce; see Pall Mall Gazette 6 June 1889, p.2.