"South African whites all philistines, no classes" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box2/Fold2/July-Dec1899/9 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Sunday 23 July 1899 |
| Address From | Johannesburg, Transvaal |
| Address To | Girls Collegiate School, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape |
| Who To | Betty Molteno |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to Manuscripts and Archives, University of Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscripts and Archives Collections. The date of this letter as 24 July 1899 has been written on in an unknown hand, although the relevant Sunday was 23 July 1899. The envelope provides the name of the addressee and the address the letter was sent to. Schreiner was resident in Berea, Johannesburg, from December 1898 until late August 1899.
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1
Sunday
2
3 Dear Friend
4
5 I have been ill with asthma or would have written before. I send you a
6copy of the Manchester Guardian, which please return. Also a copy of
7my little book as printed in England. Its neatly got up, is it not. I
8enclose the cheque for £21 which that darling Miss Greene left in the
9bag. The cheque for fifty I destroyed the day you left. I’m sure there
10will be no war just now & if there were I would come ^out^ all right.
11
12 I do hope Miss Greene feels quite better, & that you got a few days
13nice real rest before you got back to Port Elizabeth. No, I couldn’t
14go to Cape Town just now much as I should like it; but if I’ve
15
16 ^got my book done perhaps I’ll go down at Xmas. The climate here is
17trying with the continual rains & fogs in the winter. We’ve already
18had four days of unbroken fog & mist.
19
20 Olive^
21
22 ^NB. Please cash cheque at once.^
23
2
3 Dear Friend
4
5 I have been ill with asthma or would have written before. I send you a
6copy of the Manchester Guardian, which please return. Also a copy of
7my little book as printed in England. Its neatly got up, is it not. I
8enclose the cheque for £21 which that darling Miss Greene left in the
9bag. The cheque for fifty I destroyed the day you left. I’m sure there
10will be no war just now & if there were I would come ^out^ all right.
11
12 I do hope Miss Greene feels quite better, & that you got a few days
13nice real rest before you got back to Port Elizabeth. No, I couldn’t
14go to Cape Town just now much as I should like it; but if I’ve
15
16 ^got my book done perhaps I’ll go down at Xmas. The climate here is
17trying with the continual rains & fogs in the winter. We’ve already
18had four days of unbroken fog & mist.
19
20 Olive^
21
22 ^NB. Please cash cheque at once.^
23
Notation
'My little book' refers to An English South African's View of the Situation, originally published in the South African News over three successive days; see 'Words in Season. An English South African's View of the Situation' South African News 1 June 1899 (p.8), 2 June 1899 (p.8) and 3 June 1899 (also p.8). It was also reprinted in a number of other newspapers. It then was published as a pamphlet, then as a book. A second edition of the book was ready but withdrawn from publication by Schreiner when the South African War started in October 1899, so as not to profit from this. Attached to the letter is an uncashed Standard Bank cheque dated 24 July 1899 for ?21 made payable to Betty Molteno and signed by Schreiner.
'My little book' refers to An English South African's View of the Situation, originally published in the South African News over three successive days; see 'Words in Season. An English South African's View of the Situation' South African News 1 June 1899 (p.8), 2 June 1899 (p.8) and 3 June 1899 (also p.8). It was also reprinted in a number of other newspapers. It then was published as a pamphlet, then as a book. A second edition of the book was ready but withdrawn from publication by Schreiner when the South African War started in October 1899, so as not to profit from this. Attached to the letter is an uncashed Standard Bank cheque dated 24 July 1899 for ?21 made payable to Betty Molteno and signed by Schreiner.