TCG Letter #136 / Carpenter Letter #122

A two page letter (single 5.5 x 7 inch sheet, both sides) in response to Mrs. Mitchison's praise of Farmer Giles of Ham. Tolkien mentions that FG was read to the Lovelace Society, and touches upon a few anachronism present such as the Blunderbuss and fourteenth century armor. He goes on to discuss 'dragons' - he thinks the one in Beowulf is not "frightfully good" and likes Fáfnir in the Sugurd-story better. He concludes with mention that two new books should be coming soon - the sequel to The Hobbit just finished after 12 years, and the other "pure myth and legend of times already remote in Bilbo's days."

Various extracted quotes from this letter appear in:

• Carpenter's Letters #122
  
• Sotheby Parke Bernet, Catalogue of Valuable Autograph Letters, Literary Manuscripts and Historical Documents, London 12-13 December 1977, lot 363
  
• Sotheby Parke Bernet, Catalogue of Autograph Letters, Literary Manuscripts and Historical Documents, London, 16 October 1978, lot 384
  
• Carpenter's The Lord of the Rings: Souvenir Booklet Commemorating Twenty Five Years of Its Publication, London, George Allen & Unwin, 1980
  
• Sotheby's, Printed Books, Manuscripts and Music, London 27 May, 10 June 1986, lot 557
  

The letter was reproduced in full in the listing Item 555 - J. R. R. Tolkien Catalog 324 (Aug 2007) at R&R Enterprises, and sold for $8,030.12 (With Buyer's Premium)