Letters 
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A two page letter sent from 1 Alfred Street, St. Giles, Oxford, 17 March 1920, to Miss Duncan, enclosing a "mixed bag" of 50 possible examination questi...
Tolkien writes to Kenneth Sisam asking if the Old English Exodus had been influenced by early Gallican Psalters.
Sisam replies to Tolkien's letter on the subject of the Old English Exodus and its possible influence from Gallican Psalters. The contents of the letter...
Tolkien writes to Robert Chapman saying that he must finish the Clarendon Chaucer or else he will lose his good will with the Clarendon Press. Tolkien s...
F.E. Harmer, a colleague from Manchester writes to Tolkien to ask advice on the meaning of various Old English words and if Tolkien could present any ci...
Tolkien wrote this long letter to two schoolgirls, Leila Keane and Patricia Kirke who were both very enthusiastic about hobbits, in reply to their quest...
Tolkien offers Christopher advice on prayer and to remember his guardian angel. He reminds him to use "praises", and says of them "if you have these by ...
Tolkien apologizes to Christopher for the delay in writing and shares details of recent activities, including giving lectures, discussing Cardiff with G...
Tolkien expresses joy at receiving a batch of letters and, discusses the distressing but unsurprising uncensored accounts of Christopher's experiences, ...
Tolkien remarks to Basil Blackwell on the merits and shortcomings of a linguistic text being published in the near future. He points out that had he bee...
Tolkien advises his student Burchfield about his thesis about Ormulum - the proposed thesis title is remarkably close to a recent German publication tha...
Tolkien addresses the criticism of his use of deliberate archaism in his writing and strongly defends his choice to use this in The Lord of the Rings as...
Tolkien expresses gratitude for a reader's encouraging letter. He writes that his work began during World War I and evolved into the invention of legend...
Tolkien discusses philology and the original meaning of words.
Tolkien writes about his lecture 'English and Welsh' and about 'Leaf by Niggle'.
Tolkien discusses various matters on Beowulf. Extracts were published in Bruce Mitchell's book On Old English: Selected Papers and in The J.R.R. Tolkien...
At the top, Tolkien has written: ‘Some reflections in preparing an answer to a letter from one Mr Rang about investigations into my nomenclature. In t...
A partial view of this letter was featured on the BBC's Repair Shop broadcast on 25th January 2023 (see reference). In the letter, Tolkien remarks on ru...
Letter Tags
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Guide to Tolkien's Letters
Old English
(20 letters match)1920
17 March 1920
J.R.R. Tolkien to Miss Duncan
#47
A two page letter sent from 1 Alfred Street, St. Giles, Oxford, 17 March 1920, to Miss Duncan, enclosing a "mixed bag" of 50 possible examination questi...
1932
c. (before 30) August 1932
J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam
#1752
Tolkien writes to Kenneth Sisam asking if the Old English Exodus had been influenced by early Gallican Psalters.
30 August 1932
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1753
Sisam replies to Tolkien's letter on the subject of the Old English Exodus and its possible influence from Gallican Psalters. The contents of the letter...
25 October 1932
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Chapman
#1701
Tolkien writes to Robert Chapman saying that he must finish the Clarendon Chaucer or else he will lose his good will with the Clarendon Press. Tolkien s...
1937
5 November 1937
F.E. Harmer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2036
F.E. Harmer, a colleague from Manchester writes to Tolkien to ask advice on the meaning of various Old English words and if Tolkien could present any ci...
1943
3 August 1943
J.R.R. Tolkien to Leila Keene and Pat Kirke
#119
Tolkien wrote this long letter to two schoolgirls, Leila Keane and Patricia Kirke who were both very enthusiastic about hobbits, in reply to their quest...
1944
8 January 1944
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien
#88
Carpenter #54
Tolkien offers Christopher advice on prayer and to remember his guardian angel. He reminds him to use "praises", and says of them "if you have these by ...
18 January 1944
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien
#89
Carpenter #55
Tolkien apologizes to Christopher for the delay in writing and shares details of recent activities, including giving lectures, discussing Cardiff with G...
18 April 1944
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien
#95
Carpenter #61
Tolkien expresses joy at receiving a batch of letters and, discusses the distressing but unsurprising uncensored accounts of Christopher's experiences, ...
1953
Not dated (1953)
J.R.R. Tolkien to Basil Blackwell
#1420
Carpenter #135b
Tolkien remarks to Basil Blackwell on the merits and shortcomings of a linguistic text being published in the near future. He points out that had he bee...
11 July 1953
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Burchfield
#1080
Tolkien advises his student Burchfield about his thesis about Ormulum - the proposed thesis title is remarkably close to a recent German publication tha...
1955
18 September 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Hugh Brogan
#517
Carpenter #171
Tolkien addresses the criticism of his use of deliberate archaism in his writing and strongly defends his choice to use this in The Lord of the Rings as...
1956
14 January 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. Thompson
#529
Carpenter #180
Tolkien expresses gratitude for a reader's encouraging letter. He writes that his work began during World War I and evolved into the invention of legend...
1958
4 May 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Murray, S.J.
#583
Carpenter #209
Tolkien discusses philology and the original meaning of words.
1962
8-9 September 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jane Neave
#616
Carpenter #241
Tolkien writes about his lecture 'English and Welsh' and about 'Leaf by Niggle'.
1963
23 May 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Bruce Mitchell
#814
Tolkien discusses various matters on Beowulf. Extracts were published in Bruce Mitchell's book On Old English: Selected Papers and in The J.R.R. Tolkien...
1967
August 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Rang
#670
Carpenter #297
At the top, Tolkien has written: ‘Some reflections in preparing an answer to a letter from one Mr Rang about investigations into my nomenclature. In t...
September 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to David Best
#997
A partial view of this letter was featured on the BBC's Repair Shop broadcast on 25th January 2023 (see reference). In the letter, Tolkien remarks on ru...
3989
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