TCG Letter #78

In this letter to G.H. Cowling^{George Herbert Cowling (1881- 23 July 1946) was a British philologist and friend of J.R.R. Tolkien. In 1920 Cowling was lecturing at the University of Leeds, as Assistant Lecturer in English Language under Tolkien and E.V. Gordon. In 1925, when Tolkien moved to the University of Oxford, Cowling was appointed Reader. He subsequently moved to Australia to take up the Chair of English at the University of Melbourne in 1928. The Tolkien and Cowling families remained friends; in 1938 they stayed with J.R.R. and Edith at Oxford when on sabbatical leave. His wife Muriel (Mollie) maintained contact with the Tolkien family after her husband's death, and visited them in England on several occasions. During such a visit in 1955, Muriel was given signed copies of three volumes of The Lord of the Rings (in which Tolkien included a Tengwar inscription).[1]} of Melbourne, Australia, Tolkien opens by explaining his delay in writing. Stating that he is a terrible letter writer, though he devours letters with news.

He explains that it is at Christmas time that he writes most of these letters and that his letter will arrive in the new year. He offers his good wishes and sympathies. The Tolkien's eldest son is readying to leave school, and home.

Tolkien goes on to thank Cowling for a copy of his Chaucer (an edition of the Prologue and three tales from the Canterbury Tales, 1934). Tolkien will send his own study on Chaucer, said to be his Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve’s Tale (1934) by Hammond/Scull in their volume J. R. R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Volume 1 - Chronology (2017 updated edition).

A post script found at the top of page one (of two pages) Tolkien speaks of mail from Canada and India and from Melbourne are the gifts that the Cowling's had sent. Priscilla is intrigued by the Koala, which is very much like her Bingo toy.