Perhaps the old monks were right when they tried to root love out; perhaps the poets are right when they try to water it. It is a blood-red flower, with the color of sin; but there is always the scent of a god about it.

During a brief visit to England in 1893 Olive Schreiner discussed with her friends the possibility of marrying him although Olive Schreiner was concerned that Olive Schreiner would find marriage restrictive. Her siblings were very religious but Olive had already questioned the Christianity of her parents like many learned Victorians and it was the cause of many arguments that Olive Schreiner had with her family. Following exhaustive study of this aspect of Schreiner's character Karel Schoeman has the following to say:

As far as Olive's sexuality is concerned there is little known because however open
Olive Schreiner was [as a woman] for her time this was merely relative and the information that
may be used as the primary evidence in this regard is included and appeared as an addendum
in the case studies that appear in [Havelock] Ellis's Studies in the psychology of sex.

Karel Schoeman the South African historian and leading authority on Schreiner's life has written in one of his books about her that Olive Schreiner was an outstanding figure in a South African context although perhaps not quite the same abroad.