To: Jemima C Lloyd (18 December 1861)

To: Jemima C Lloyd (18 December 1861)

Correspondence

A letter from Wilhelm Bleek to Jemima Lloyd, sent from Cape Town and dated 18 December 1861. Wilhelm anxiously awaits Jemima's answer to his proposal letter. He describes his "dark" feelings of blame after selfishly suggesting their union, given his state of invalidism. He wishes he were home in Bonn with his old doctor to advise him. He also philosophises on love and true worth. In addition to this more emotional content, Wilhelm also discusses religion and his father's theological work, his own work on the "Comparative Grammar", and Cape news.

18 December 1861

A Comparative Grammar of the South African Languages, anxiously awaiting reponse to last letter, Bishop of Natal, Bonn doctor's advice, Cape news, Cape winds and weather, Charles Boyle's misfortunes, Church orthodoxy, Colenso's character and friendship, dark feelings, December 1861, doctor, doubts, father's publication, fears about health, fears union would bring sore trials, Friedrich Bleek's book, ill health, Introduction into the Old Testament, invalidism, Jemima Lloyd, John Colenso, letter, letters provide solace, likens marriage to invalid to slavery, longs for home, love, Lucy Lloyd, marriage doubts, Mr Woolley, news of Lucy Lloyd, orthodoxy, personal history, proposal, rarely goes out, religion, religious discussion, religious views, selfishly suggested union, shocked by savage comments, sisters, Sir George Grey, sore trials of strength, starving heart, union, Wilhelm Bleek, work progress

1. There are photographs of George and Mr Woolley. See Photographs and Portraits on this website. 2. This is clearly a situation of great interest to Wilhelm, given his own employment insecurity at Grey's departure and having briefly toyed with the idea of following Grey to New Zealand himself.