To: Jemima C Lloyd (28 April 1862)

To: Jemima C Lloyd (28 April 1862)

Correspondence

A letter from Wilhelm Bleek to Jemima Lloyd, sent from Cape Town and dated 28 April 1862. Wilhelm's "private" letter to Jemima concerns the spiritual and physical aspects of marriage, addressing her as "my own dear wife". Because she gave him permission to write to her in this way, Wilhelm feels free to plainly discuss the "whole of the position" or realities of their marriage. He stresses the need for complete trust and openness between husband and wife, "oneness" being the ideal of the "married state". He wants Jemima to understand the possible consequences of marrying and having children with an invalid. He also reveals when last he saw his doctor, what he was told about marrying safely, and his earlier tuberculosis diagnosis. He then discusses the "fitness" of women (and Jemima) for marriage. He also explores the physical/evolutionary aspect of physical love in marriage as well as its sacred function. He appeals to her to give him her entire confidence in these matters and eschew any maidenly shame that may prevent it.

28 April 1862

ability to bear children, aduse of natural faculties, April 1862, avoiding overexcitement/rush of blood to heart, bearing children, burn/lay down letter, candid speech, children, Christianity, coarse people, confide openly, consequences of marrying an invalid, consulation with Dr Wolff, consumption, continuation of humankind, courtship, disease progression, doctor's advice, doctor's prognosis, Dr Wolff on state of Wilhelm Bleek's disease, engagement, evolution and marriage, family doctor in Bonn, fitness for marriage, gave permission to speak to her as his wife, harm of shame, harmful ignorance, health of future children, health will benefit from wife's care, history of ill health, holy bond of marriage, holy purpose of union, how husband and wife must speak to each other, husband, husband is first friend, ill health, ignorance about sex, ignorance injurious, ideals of marriage, infectiousness of consumption, intimacy, Jemima Lloyd, Jemima Lloyd appears naturally fit, letter, loss of maidenly shame, love, lungs, lust, maidenly shame, marriage, marriage for sensual enjoyment, married state, marry safely, marital fitness, motherless poor little wife, my own dear wife, natural and holy purpose of sex in marriage, natural necessity, oneness, openess, permission to speak as husband, personal history, physical aspects of marriage, plain speech, poor little wife, purpose of marriage, reality of married life, religion, religious views, sacred obligations, safety in marriage, sensual aspect of the married state, sensual enjoyment, sensual indulgence, sex, sexual ignorance, share everything, shared feelings, shared ideals, sharing of confidences, sickly children of invalid parents, speaking plainly, speaking to her as his wife, spiritual and sensual aspects of marriage, trust and confidence to share everything, trust and openness, tuberculosis, unhealthy and short life, union, what would prevent marriage, whole of the position, wife, Wilhelm Bleek, women's fitness for marriage, women's different experiences of sex

1. This letter was enclosed in Wilhelm's slightly later letter of 4 May. [See C4.16 WB to JL 4 May 1862.] 2. See Jemima Bleek's 1881 note accompanying Wilhelm's letter, instructing her daughters not to read the "private" letter until old enough, engaged or married. [See C4.13 19 February 1881]. 2. There are photographs of Dr Wolff. See Photographs and Portraits on this website.