J. R. R. Tolkien

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.

'I wish life was not so short,' he thought. 'Languages take such a time, and so do all the things one wants to know about.'

I don't like allegories.

The original 'Hobbit' was never intended to have a sequel - Bilbo 'remained very happy to the end of his days and those were extraordinarily long': a sentence I find an almost insuperable obstacle to a satisfactory link.

A friend of mine tells that I talk in shorthand and then smudge it.

A safe fairyland is untrue to all worlds.

If you really want to know what Middle-earth is based on, it's my wonder and delight in the earth as it is, particularly the natural earth.

I dislike Allegory - the conscious and intentional allegory - yet any attempt to explain the purport of myth or fairytale must use allegorical language.

I should like to save the Shire, if I could - though there have been times when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them.

I never liked Hans Christian Andersen because I knew he was always getting at me.

It is plain indeed that in spite of later estrangement Hobbits are relatives of ours: far nearer to us than Elves, or even than Dwarves. Of old they spoke the languages of Men, after their own fashion, and liked and disliked much the same things as Men did. But what exactly our relationship is can no longer be discovered.

Don't go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you'll land in trouble too big for you.

Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.

Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.

It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.

You have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.

It may be the part of a friend to rebuke a friend's folly.

In October 1920 I went to Leeds as Reader in English Language, with a free commission to develop the linguistic side of a large and growing School of English Studies, in which no regular provision had as yet been made for the linguistic specialist.