William Hale White – SIGNED Letter
£175.00
176 x 112 mm
A near fine autograph letter from William Hale White to Kitty Ogle, dated 7 April 1899, written in black ink on ivory personalised writing paper – ‘5, High Wickham, Hastings’ – with central horizontal fold, some light shelf wear to top of the sheet and with light spotting.
In full: ‘Dear Kitty, I am sorry I cannot help you. I never under any circumstances give money to a foreign mission. My reasons for refraining are two. In the first place, having seen much of missionaries, I consider them as a rule quite unfit to deal with natives, and, in the second place, I do not believe that the Christianity which they teach is the kind of Christianity to do the people any good – I might have said my reasons are three, the third being that if I had any money to spare I should spend it on trying to reclaim the savages in this country, including amongst savages many who are called (correction) respectable folk. I hope you will excuse my directness. In cases of this kind it is so much the best plan to avoid excuses and to tell the exact truth. I wish you had told me how you are, what you are doing and how your aunts are. Poor Mrs Dannreuther has been in great trouble. Her husband has been ill for some weeks with influenza and pneumonia. He obstinately refused to have a nurse, the consequence being that his wife had to wait on him night and day. She is much knocked up. Molly sends her love. With very kind regards affectionately yours W. Hale White.’
William Hale White (1831-1913) was an English physician and author, often writing under the pseudonym Mark Rutherford. Born in 1831, he worked as a respected doctor at Guy’s Hospital in London. Alongside medicine, he wrote thoughtful semi-autobiographical novels exploring religion, doubt and personal struggle. His most famous works include The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford. White’s writing is valued for its honesty about Victorian faith and intellectual life. André Gide, in a letter dated 4 October 1915, thanked Arnold Bennett for recommending White’s works. Gide so admired The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford and Mark Rutherford’s Deliverance that he considered writing French translations. He stated that they had lifted him out of the ‘slough of despond’, a reference coined by Bunyan about whom White had written.
The identity of the recipient of this letter remains a mystery, although Kitty Ogle is a fictional character from Hale White’s literary works. Molly White was his daughter who lived with and cared for him later in life.
Mrs Dannreuther mentioned in the letter is very probably Chariclea Euterpe Anthea nee Ionides, the wife of Edward George Dannreuther (1844-1905) pianist and writer on music. They lived at Windycroft, High Wickham near Hale White at 5 High Wickham, Hastings.
(We don't keep all of our stock in the shop, so send us an email if you're planning a trip to see a particular author or book.)
- Description
Description
176 x 112 mm
A near fine autograph letter from William Hale White to Kitty Ogle, dated 7 April 1899, written in black ink on ivory personalised writing paper – ‘5, High Wickham, Hastings’ – with central horizontal fold, some light shelf wear to top of the sheet and with light spotting.
In full: ‘Dear Kitty, I am sorry I cannot help you. I never under any circumstances give money to a foreign mission. My reasons for refraining are two. In the first place, having seen much of missionaries, I consider them as a rule quite unfit to deal with natives, and, in the second place, I do not believe that the Christianity which they teach is the kind of Christianity to do the people any good – I might have said my reasons are three, the third being that if I had any money to spare I should spend it on trying to reclaim the savages in this country, including amongst savages many who are called (correction) respectable folk. I hope you will excuse my directness. In cases of this kind it is so much the best plan to avoid excuses and to tell the exact truth. I wish you had told me how you are, what you are doing and how your aunts are. Poor Mrs Dannreuther has been in great trouble. Her husband has been ill for some weeks with influenza and pneumonia. He obstinately refused to have a nurse, the consequence being that his wife had to wait on him night and day. She is much knocked up. Molly sends her love. With very kind regards affectionately yours W. Hale White.’
William Hale White (1831-1913) was an English physician and author, often writing under the pseudonym Mark Rutherford. Born in 1831, he worked as a respected doctor at Guy’s Hospital in London. Alongside medicine, he wrote thoughtful semi-autobiographical novels exploring religion, doubt and personal struggle. His most famous works include The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford. White’s writing is valued for its honesty about Victorian faith and intellectual life. André Gide, in a letter dated 4 October 1915, thanked Arnold Bennett for recommending White’s works. Gide so admired The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford and Mark Rutherford’s Deliverance that he considered writing French translations. He stated that they had lifted him out of the ‘slough of despond’, a reference coined by Bunyan about whom White had written.
The identity of the recipient of this letter remains a mystery, although Kitty Ogle is a fictional character from Hale White’s literary works. Molly White was his daughter who lived with and cared for him later in life.
Mrs Dannreuther mentioned in the letter is very probably Chariclea Euterpe Anthea nee Ionides, the wife of Edward George Dannreuther (1844-1905) pianist and writer on music. They lived at Windycroft, High Wickham near Hale White at 5 High Wickham, Hastings.
