Letter 196a: Difference between revisions
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*'''Publication:''' Excerpts from the letter were published in [[The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide|''The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Reader's Guide'']] (p. 468). Further excerpts have appeared in Michael Tolkien's transcript of his lecture delivered at the [[Wikipedia:University of St Andrews|University of St Andrews]] (sections 15, 28).<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Tolkien (b. 1943)|Michael George Tolkien]]|articleurl=http://www.michaeltolkien.com/page74.html|articlename=Lecture on J.R.R. Tolkien given to the University of St. Andrews Science Fiction and Fantasy Society on 2nd May, 1989|dated=|website=[http://www.michaeltolkien.com/index.html MichaelTolkien.com]|accessed=30 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]|articleurl=http://www.hammondandscull.com/addenda/chronology_by_date.html|articlename=Addenda and Corrigenda to ''The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide'' (2006) Vol. 1: Chronology · Arranged by Date|dated=|website=HS|accessed=30 December 2011}}</ref> | *'''Publication:''' Excerpts from the letter were published in [[The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide|''The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Reader's Guide'']] (p. 468). Further excerpts have appeared in Michael Tolkien's transcript of his lecture delivered at the [[Wikipedia:University of St Andrews|University of St Andrews]] (sections 15, 28).<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Tolkien (b. 1943)|Michael George Tolkien]]|articleurl=http://www.michaeltolkien.com/page74.html|articlename=Lecture on J.R.R. Tolkien given to the University of St. Andrews Science Fiction and Fantasy Society on 2nd May, 1989|dated=|website=[http://www.michaeltolkien.com/index.html MichaelTolkien.com]|accessed=30 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]|articleurl=http://www.hammondandscull.com/addenda/chronology_by_date.html|articlename=Addenda and Corrigenda to ''The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide'' (2006) Vol. 1: Chronology · Arranged by Date|dated=|website=HS|accessed=30 December 2011}}</ref> | ||
*'''Archive:''' British Library, MS Add. 71657.<ref>{{CG|RG}}, p. 468</ref> | *'''Archive:''' British Library, MS Add. 71657.<ref>{{CG|RG}}, p. 468</ref> | ||
==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== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 01:12, 13 February 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]
- Subject(s): Academic news, Hebrew, work with The Jerusalem Bible, the Book of Jonah.
- Publication: Excerpts from the letter were published in The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Reader's Guide (p. 468). Further excerpts have appeared in Michael Tolkien's transcript of his lecture delivered at the University of St Andrews (sections 15, 28).[2][3]
- Archive: British Library, MS Add. 71657.[4]
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
- Michael George Tolkien 6 January 1965
- Michael George Tolkien 16 September 1965
- Michael George Tolkien 30 October 1965
- Michael George Tolkien 29 July 1966
- Michael George Tolkien 7 January 1970
- Michael George Tolkien 30 January 1972
References
- ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 504
- ↑ Michael George Tolkien, "Lecture on J.R.R. Tolkien given to the University of St. Andrews Science Fiction and Fantasy Society on 2nd May, 1989", MichaelTolkien.com (accessed 30 December 2011)
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, "Addenda and Corrigenda to The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide (2006) Vol. 1: Chronology · Arranged by Date", Hammond&Scull.com (accessed 30 December 2011)
- ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: II. Reader's Guide, p. 468
