The Letters of J.R.R.Tolkien by J.R.R.Tolkien

Author:J.R.R.Tolkien [J.R.R.Tolkien]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2011-03-05T06:00:00+00:00

166 From a letter to Allen & Unwin 22 July 1955

[The proofs of the Appendices to the third volume, The Return of the King, caused Tolkien much worry.

They arrived late from the printers, and he found that the page intended to carry a phonetic ‘key’ to the Angerthas or Dwarf-runes had been printed without the phonetic symbols it was supposed to contain. He sent back this page with the symbols drawn in by hand, whereupon the printers reproduced this rough drawing in facsimile, which was not what he had intended; his wish was that they should set up the phonetic symbols in type. He was also anxious because he had not received page proofs of the narrative of The Return of the King incorporating revisions that he had sent to the printers some time earlier. The following letter, dealing with these matters, is typical of many harassed letters he wrote during these weeks.]

I return in separate parcel the material sent to me (arrived mid-day Wednesday). I have done my best and quickest with it; but I fear I have missed today’s post and this will not go until tomorrow. Time is short, and the material rather intricate!

I am still puzzled and dissatisfied with the procedure – at any rate it makes my part much more laborious, and greatly increases the chances of errors and discrepancies still appearing in the published volume.

I know that I sent in corrections after the revised page proofs had been returned. But that is now a very long time back and I do not yet understand why I should now receive Queries, raised by the head reader in the course of his ‘ final reading of the main text‘ that are not based on the final text, but on one that does not incorporate numerous (and some extensive) revisions. Errors are almost certain to occur, or to have occurred, at some of these points. The compositors always make mistakes in setting from my handwriting!

I am also a little disturbed because though the selected pages of Queries are presented ‘for Queries only’, and contain corrections of small details (as well as Queries) throughout, there remain errors in these pages that are neither queried nor corrected. For instance the heading House of Healing throughout Bk. V Ch. 8 in spite of the chapter title.

I have, however, v. little time left now, and could not deal with anything that arrived after Wed.

morning next. Not being satisfied nor indeed (frankly) wholly reassured, I have made out a list of all the emendations, insertions, and corrections of the main text which do not yet appear in the proofs. I have made this list as clear as I can, and I hope it will be carefully checked with the text.

….

I can only hope that the Angerthas will come out all right in the wash! But I am rather anxious.

Jarrolds appear to have adopted my suggestion and now propose to use the phonetic letter ŋ instead of my . But the Table in printable form that I sent in, & which you reported (on ‘phone) was being adopted, used .

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