Details
JOHN RONALD RUEL TOLKIEN (1892-1973)
i) Typed one-page letter, signed 'J.R.R. Tolkien', from 76 Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford, 26 January 1961, 4°, to Miss Roland, apologising for not replying to her letter sooner but he has been working hard 'so as to give undivided attention to further work on the hobbits' world', hoping to have reviews by late the following year and thanking her for news and her card of the Kentish countryside 'specially beautiful and as different from the rest of England as a foreign country' (creased on folds).
ii) Autograph letter, signed 'Ronald Tolkien', from Hotel Miramar, Bournemouth, 8 November 1967, 2pp, 8°, to 'My dear Miss Roland', apologising for not seeing her in Oxford due to ill-health and thanking her for sending carnations and roses. 'I am afraid this malady which reduced me to a shape resembling the last emaciated state of Gollum has interfered abominably with work...I shall be sending you a copy of the small item which is all that I have managed to get out for Christmas' (creased on folds, ink slightly smudged in places).
iii) Autograph letter, signed 'Ronald', on Headington notepaper but from Lakeside Road, Poole, 15 March 1969, 2pp, 8°, to 'My dear Amy', with profuse thanks for her gift of five bottles. His health and that of his wife is not good and regrets that, she too, is not well. They are looking forward to Spring which has not reached them yet 'while up on the windy east cliff the Miramar garden is alight with tulips, daffodils and crocuses!'. He sends her a copy of the new French edition of The Hobbit. 'It has a ludicrous jacket; but good paper and type' (creased on folds).
iv) Autograph letter, signed with intials 'J.R.R.T.', [n.p.], 20 March 1969, 2pp, 8°, to 'My dear A.R.', settling confusion over an order of Courvoisier and giving family news. He asks her opinion of 'Le Hobbit'. 'Personally I think one of the most unfortunate results of the French invasion of England was the adulteration of our own language with the consequence that we have a lange Franco-Latin ingredient largely floating about like oil - specially used when we are being 'adult', stuffy or professional...French...sounds often priggish in colloquial dialogue' (creased on fold, ink slightly smudged in places).
(4)
