Letter 262

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
← Letter 262 →
Recipient	Michael Di Capua, Pantheon Books
Date	7 September 1964
Subject(s)	Preface for The Golden Key (not done) that led to Smith of Wootton Major

Letter 262 is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Summary

Pantheon Books asked Tolkien to write a preface for a new edition of George MacDonald's The Golden Key. Tolkien replied that he would like to do as they asked, stating that while not as warm an admirer of MacDonald as C.S. Lewis was, he did think well of this story and had mentioned it in On Fairy-stories. Tolkien was not confident of producing something worthy of the honorarium offered, not being attracted to anything allegorical, mystical or moral. He said he would do his best if there was time, and thanked them for their consideration.