Letter 196a: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
m (Bot: Re-linking Letter to Michael George Tolkien (16 September 1965))
m (Bot: Re-linking Letter to Michael George Tolkien (30 October 1965))
Line 38: Line 38:
*[[Letter to Michael George Tolkien (6 January 1965)]]
*[[Letter to Michael George Tolkien (6 January 1965)]]
*[[Letter to Michael George Tolkien (16 September 1965)]]
*[[Letter to Michael George Tolkien (16 September 1965)]]
*[[Michael George Tolkien 30 October 1965]]
*[[Letter to Michael George Tolkien (30 October 1965)]]
*[[Michael George Tolkien 29 July 1966]]
*[[Michael George Tolkien 29 July 1966]]
*[[Michael George Tolkien 7 January 1970]]
*[[Michael George Tolkien 7 January 1970]]

Revision as of 14:30, 29 May 2014

Michael George Tolkien 24 April 1957 is a letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to his grandson Michael George Tolkien, written on 24 April 1957.[1]

Excerpts

Daddy may be interested to hear that I have been elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (on the strength of 'The Lord of the Rings' I suppose): a pleasant compliment and pat of approval, and one which few if any 'philologists' or language men have received.

The Dutch edition and translation are going well. I have had to swot at Dutch; but it is not a really nice language. Actually, I am at present immersed in Hebrew. If you want a beautiful but idiotic alphabet, and a language so difficult that it makes Latin (or even Greek) seem footling but also glimpses into a past that makes Homer seem recent - that is the stuff! (I am hoping when I retire to get included in a new Bible-translation team that is brewing. I have passed the test: with a version of the Book of Jonah. Not from Hebrew direct! Incidentally, if you ever look at the Old Testament, and look at Jonah you'll find that the "whale" - it's not really said to be a whale, but a big fish - is quite unimportant. The real point is that God is much more merciful than 'prophets', is easily moved by penitence, and won't be dictated to even by high ecclesiastics whom he has himself appointed.) However, there are too many absorbing things in the world. One has to choose and stick to a few, with which blessing and counsel (like preachers) I end - and with my love and good wishes.

Grandfather.

See also

References