Letter 336

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 336
Recipient	Sir Patrick Browne
Date	23 May 1972
Subject(s)	Fame

Letter 336 is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Summary

Tolkien tells Sir Patrick Browne of the price of fame, and his views of being a cult figure: it is not at all pleasant. It makes him feel small and inadequate, though he feels flattered.

Notes

• The fragment chosen was the second part of the actual letter. The Tolkien Library has a picture of the full letter, and Humphrey Carpenter's correspondence, online.
• Though the "Sir Patrick Browne" is not identified in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, it is quite probably Patrick Browne, a judge, since Tolkien addresses him as such ("Dear judge") in the full copy.