J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE, FRSL, known by his pen name J. R. R. Tolkien, was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor who is best known as the author of the classic high-fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth3 January 1892
call expect folk good hear inside laid landed lots mind outside paths seem stay tales thats turning
But thats not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have just landed in them, usually - their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didnt. And if they had, we shouldnt know, because theyd have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on - and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end
almost begin corner detailed english exciting fall far field middle notions personal pieces received seem soon turns
Middle English is an exciting field - almost uncharted, I begin to think, because as soon as one turns detailed personal attention on to any little corner of it, the received notions and ideas seem to crumple up and fall to pieces - as far as language goes, at any rate.
fair fall flower frost house knew lady looked perceived sap saw seemed soon speak standing straight turned white wrought
For she is a fair maiden, fairest lady of a house of queens. And yet I know not how I should speak of her. When I first looked on her and perceived her unhappiness, it seemed to me that I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel. Or was it, maybe, a frost that had turned its sap to ice, and so it stood, bitter-sweet, still fair to see, but stricken, soon to fall and die?
seems
Time doesn't seem to pass here: it just is.
death life
In life there can be no victor, for death comes to all and smites them.
horses king looked lords run shine smoothly swift
That is Shadowfax. He is cheif of the Maeras, lords of all horses, and not even Theoden, King of Rohan, has ever looked on a better. Does he not shine like silver, and run as smoothly as a swift stream?
crooked death fire lightning passed till words
I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a serving-man till the lightning falls.
appear cling courses false folly recognize though wisdom
It's wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope.
king needs piece rabble
It needs more to make a king than a piece of elvish glass, or a rabble such as this.
danger lose others
It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.
axe fall restless room row sleep swing weariness
Sleep! I feel the need of it. Yet my axe is restless in my hand. Give me a row of orc-necks and room to swing and all weariness will fall from me!
dragons snow
So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending.
full hurts multiply wars
The world is full enough of hurts and mischance without wars to multiply them.
came dark elves fearless graves kings knew lord mark name passed paths people remembers river saw seas stars tom
Don't you know my name yet? That's the only answer. Tell me, who are you alone, yourself and nameless? But you are young and I am old. Eldest, that's what I am. Mark my words, my friends: Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.