Letter 196a
On 24 April 1957, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a letter to Michael George Tolkien.[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 goodwishes.
Grandfather.
See also
- Letter to Michael George Tolkien (10 January 1958)
- Letter to Michael George Tolkien (6 January 1965)
- Letter to Michael George Tolkien (16 September 1965)
- Letter to Michael George Tolkien (30 October 1965)
- Letter to Michael George Tolkien (29 July 1966)
- Letter to Michael George Tolkien (7 January 1970)
- Letter to 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
