TCG Letter #1633

After Tolkien had criticized to Kenneth Sisam, the lack of progress on the Clarendon Chaucer and bemaoned the fact that his notes had not been returned by Gordon in two years ^{Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam • 21 November 1930 (#1631)[1]} , finally George S. Gordon returns the notes^{It is assumed that Sisam had written to Gordon demanding the return of them to Tolkien but no details on this are known.[2]} with commentary.

Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull note that Gordon returns "his notes for the Clarendon Chaucer, praising them...", John M. Bowers however has a stronger commentary on the letter. He notes that Gordon "claimed he had read through the annotations ‘as far as they go’", pointing out that the "last phrase was a dig at Tolkien’s failure to extend his commentary to the Monk’s Tale and the Nun’s Priest’s Tale." Bowers gives details of the commentary offered from Gordon, noting that they extend to a few scribbles that were not especially useful, "A jolly note!" Gordon would remark, hardly useful at all!.^{see Chronology, p. 166 and Tolkien's Lost Chaucer, p. 31[3]}