"Case against Cronwright-Schreiner; OS asks Will Schreiner seven legal questions" Read the full letter
Isaline Philpot
Isaline Philpot was the wife of Dr J.H. Philpot. Schreiner came to know the couple while she was living in London during the 1880s, and was perhaps introduced to them by Elisabeth Cobb. While a number of her ‘letters’ to Isaline Philpot have been published, these all appeared in Cronwright-Schreiner’s The Letters of Olive Schreiner, in which he published various bowdlerised extracts of Schreiner’s letters to all the correspondents included, with these letters in general edited in a heavy-handed and extremely inaccurate way. Consequently the relationship of the Isaline Philpot ‘letters’ with the originals from which they have been extracted and redacted is unknown, with implications for reading and analysing their content or making inferences about the nature of Schreiner’s relationship, epistolary or otherwise, with Philpot. Finally, an important additional complication concerns the relationship between Isaline Philpot and Cronwright-Schreiner.
Cronwright-Schreiner met and stayed with the Philpots when he visited Britain during the South African War to conduct a lecture tour aimed at raising the profile of the ‘pro-Boer’ cause. It seems that he then established a friendship with the couple, and with Isaline Philpot in particular. Schreiner’s few full extant letters to Cronwright-Schreiner, in particular those she wrote in 1913 before her departure for Britain from South Africa and those she wrote in 1920, suggest that she had perhaps accused or suspected Cronwright-Schreiner of having had a long-term relationship with Philpot, although she also claimed “I have never thought that you loved Mrs Philpot or that she loved you.” Certainly she felt strongly that Isaline Philpot was a woman who could not be trusted, and who gossiped and discussed other people’s affairs: “she had caused a great deal of sorrow & pain by her talking”, with similar comments in other letters too.
Schreiner’s earliest extant ‘letters’ to Isaline Philpot date from the mid-1880s, and many of the subsequent ‘letters’ touch on Schreiner’s writing and reading. She discusses the writing she is working on, or reflects on books she has read. From her letters to Karl Pearson, it seems that Schreiner attempted to get Isaline Philpot invited to become a member of the Men and Women’s Club in February 1886, and the Philpots certainly attended at least one Club meeting as Schreiner’s guests. Schreiner’s last ‘letter’ to Isaline Philpot dates from 1903, and comments on how she would like to see some of her old friends. A disproportionate number of these ‘letters’ appears in Cronwright-Schreiner’s The Letters while those of many very close friends were excluded and/or destroyed, suggesting that he trying to give an impression of closeness for reasons of his own.
Recipient Of
- SCCS Edited Extracts: Four groups of edited extracts from Olive Schreiner's letters can be accessed from here, made by her estranged husband Cronwr... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- Letters/121:To Mrs. J. H. Phllpot. , 16, Portsea Place, 4th Oct., I think Diana of the Crossways the most fascinating novel that has be...
- Letters/144:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., 16, Portsea Place, 25th Dec., Life, from the time one enters it, seems to be a battle between the dut...
- Letters/167:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Bournemouth, March., I had no idea Romola was so grand. How George Eliot seems to live again in it, a...
- Letters/239:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., London, Aug., I am reading Jowett's Plato. God will have to give Jowett a front seat in the Kingdom o...
- Letters/240:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., The Roughs, Yorkshire, 18th Aug., It's quite lovely here. Solitary little house, miles and miles of b...
- Letters/251:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Alassio, 4th Nov., Have you read Memoirs of Madame De Remusat? It's one of the most fascinating books...
- Letters/252:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Alassio, 7th Nov., I think I have passed through one of the happiest times of my whole life since I l...
- Letters/253:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Alassio, 13th Nov., Yes, if one could live life over again with one's enlarged sympathies, how differ...
- Letters/265:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Alassio, Jan., Please post the enclosed letter. I hope it's not rude, but I get so many letters that ...
- Letters/270:To Mrs. J. H. P.Hilpot., Alassio, 18th Feb., I get to my work which is sometimes writing, more often walking up and down my r...
- Letters/289:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Harpenden, 1st July., Did I ever tell you about the people I found in Germany when I went to the plac...
- Letters/290:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Harpenden, 7th July., I'll like best of all a tiny workman's cottage unfurnished. I dare say that wou...
- Letters/297:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Harpenden, Aug., A little allegory is coming out in next month's Woman’s World. It’s not ...
- Letters/298:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., London Institution, Finsbury Circus, Aug., It will be many years before either of my books are ready,...
- Letters/300:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Harpenden, 5th Sept., How stupid people are that they can't understand that, just because one feels t...
- Letters/302:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Harpenden, 13th Sept., Don't trouble about it at all, dear friend. I am perhaps morbidly sensitive ab...
- Letters/309:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., St. Albans, Oct., My chest has been much worse this time in England than it ever was before. … ...
- Letters/314:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Alassio, Oct., All goes splendidly with me. I am working hard and very happy. Nothing but work makes ...
- Letters/320:To Mrs J. H. Philpot., Alassio, 15th Nov., I wish I could be as well anywhere in England as I am anywhere out of it. I was qu...
- Letters/321:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Alassio (about same time)., When I've finished this book and the next, I'm going to sit on the seasho...
- Letters/333:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Mentone, 4th Jan., I've had such a happy day, working all the time. People think I have a sad, lonely...
- Letters/344:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Mentone, 17th March., I wish I was large and strong and could put my arms round all the tired lonely ...
- Letters/345:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Paris, 26th March., I am making dreams here at a great rate; I always do in Paris. Only they are all ...
- Letters/352:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Knaphill, 20th May., When all my work is done I'll go into Society-in another world. You know I would...
- Letters/354:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Brighton, 29th May., Yes, I'm going to lunch with Gladstone and Bret Harte.,
- Letters/358:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., London, 12th Aug., Stead came to see me on Saturday. I attacked him so violently for what I considere...
- Letters/382:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Mount Vernon, Cape Town, 31st Dec., With me all goes very well. The sunshine is beautiful and my peop...
- Letters/393:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Matjesfontein, 5th April., I have never had such perfect health for ten years, never since I left the...
- Letters/424:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Millthorpe (Sheffield), 11th Sept., The face has a very sweet almost childlike smile; in life its rea...
- Letters/426:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., England (? Millthorpe),? Sept., I send you two of my friend's photos. Please let me trust that you an...
- Letters/427:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Middelburg (Cape), 8th Nov., I wish you could meet my friend. His tenderness and goodness to me are s...
- Letters/429:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Krantz Plaats, 7th Mar., I am very well, and peacefully very happy. My dear husband is so tender and ...
- Letters/431:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Beach Hotel, East London, 13th Mar., , ...
- Letters/434:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Krantz Plaats, 10th July., There's a great fuss among the servants to-night. Kroon, the Hottentot her...
- Letters/435:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., The Homestead, Near Kimberley, 8th Aug., My husband says he's going to stay in the room all the while...
- Letters/439:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Kimberley, 3rd Nov., I am writing the baby a little book; every day I write a little to it; so that, ...
- Letters/455:To Mrs. J. H. Philpot., Hanover, 11th Mar., Yes, I long greatly sometimes to see my old friends. I was thinking last night ho...
Mentioned In
- Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin: The HRC, Austin, is one of the world leading locations for archival papers pertaining to literary life and manuscripts across... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- HRC/CAT/OS/4b-xii:Matjesfontein , May 13 / 90 , I got your journal letter & liked it. Did Symons have to pay on the post card I sent him?, ...
- National Archives Depot, Pretoria: The National Archives Depot is Pretoria is a leading location for archival papers across a wide time-period, organisations an... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- T120 (M722): W.T. Stead Papers/4- pages 47-54:missing page/s , I am giving up today & tomorrow in trying to answer., I wrote to you last in June or July not yet quite ...
- National English Literary Museum, Grahamstown: The National English Literary Museum is the leading location for collections pertaining to the imaginative and creative writi... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- Olive Schreiner: S.C. Cronwright-Schreiner SMD/30/34/c:My dear Pal, You have so many letters to read I'll be as short as I can, darling. A year & a half ago when Emily Hobhouse...
- Olive Schreiner: S.C. Cronwright-Schreiner SMD/30/34/e:[page/s missing], 3, or as long as you want it you are sure of that small room, & lots of room to store your luggage but ...
- National Library of South Africa, Cape Town: Special Collections at the NLSA provide one of the leading locations for archival papers across many periods, organisations a... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- Olive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.71:Molteno, Sunday evening, Darling Mary,, I got your letter yesterday morning at East London just before I started. Some very k...
- Olive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.95:The Homestead, Kimberley, July 1st 1895., Dear sweet old Mary, We got back at midday today, & I am glad to be here again,...
- Olive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.130:Monday, May 17 / 03 , Darling Mary, Did you ever get the "Hearts of Men"? Cron is very ill, I have to feed & dress & ...
- Olive Schreiner: Miscellaneous MSC 26/2.25.1:Montague, Nov. 13. 89., This is a little desolate up-country town among the mts. Rocks, rocks, rocks piled all about me. I le...
- University College London: Special Collections at UCL is one of the leading university collections of manuscripts, archives and rare books in the UK. It... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- Karl Pearson 840/4/1/82-84:9 Blandford Sq, Thursday , Could you let me have again (it’s only for myself) your reply to Mr Parker’s criticism...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/2/31-32:Somerset House Bournemouth, Feb 5 / 86, Dear Mr Pearson , I’ve not heard of you from any one for a great while. I hope ...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/2/38-39:Friday night, I didn’t mean I wouldn’t help "men" if I could, I meant anybody. , I like Miss Easty’s letter...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/2/40:Oxford House, Southbourne-on-Sea, The enclosed will show you what kind of woman Mrs Philpot is – not clever, but intell...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/2/64-68:Convent, Monday morning , I think Carpenter is coming this afternoon to go for a walk with me. Shall ask him. , Have forgotte...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/2/81-87:The Convent, Wednesday, Thank you for the paper. I send it with this. What I feel is that sometimes you are putting too great...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/3/40-42:The Convent, Harrow on the Hill, Monday , My dear Mr Pearson , It is good to know a friend is unbending himself so completely...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/3/73-75:I have asked Miss Davids & Donkin to propose Dr & Mrs Philpot for the next meeting as visitors. Philpot is coming ent...
- Karl Pearson 840/4/3/92-97:Monday morning, I want to tell you what Ray Lankester said last night when he & his sister & I were driving home. He ...
- University of Cape Town, Historical Manuscripts: Manuscripts & Archives at the University of Cape Town is a leading location for accessing archival papers across many per... Show/Hide Collection Letters
- Olive Schreiner BC16/Box1/Fold1/1892/12:Matjesfontein, Tuesday 13 / 92, My old Will,, I hope when this reaches you you will be settled in the old Man’s study, ...
- Olive Schreiner BC16/Box2/Fold3/1900/67:Dear Friend, I am sending you an article I have just finished (part of my book on South Africa). You & Miss Greene & ...
- Olive Schreiner BC16/Box2/Fold4/1901/32:Friday night , Darling Friend, I was so glad of your letter today. I see the Daily News as Mrs Philpot sends it regularly to ...
- Olive Schreiner BC16/Box2/Fold4/1901/46:Dear Friend, I got an impertinent wire from from one of the men on the Cape Times asking me to wire & explain to him why ...
- Olive Schreiner BC16/Box3/Fold1/1902/2:Jan 15th 1902, Dear Fan, I can’t think how Mrs Philpot can have sent the parcel to you. Please redirect it to me. If it...
- Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold1/Dated/10:Darling Laddie, Just as I’d finished my screed to you Cron came in with your so very welcome letter & the enclosed ...