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I am a Christian…so that I do not expect ‘history’ to be anything but a ‘long defeat’ — though it contains (and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly) some samples or glimpses of final victory.

J. R. R. Tolkien

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J. R. R. Tolkien
Age: 81 †
Born: 1892
Born: January 3
Died: 1973
Died: September 2
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John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
John R. R. Tolkien
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J. R. R. Tolkien
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More quotes by J. R. R. Tolkien

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I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen, of meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were, with morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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The stars are far brighter Than gems without measure, The moon is far whiter Than silver in treasure The fire is more shining On hearth in the gloaming Than gold won by mining, So why go a-roaming? O! Tra-la-la-lally Come back to the Valley.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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And long there he lay, an image of the splendour of the Kings of Men in glory undimmed before the breaking of the world.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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It gives me great pleasure, a good name. I always in writing start with a name. Give me a name and it produces a story, not the other way about normally.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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You are a set of deceitful scoundrels! But bless you! I give in. I will take Gildor's advice. If the danger were not so dark, I should dance for joy. Even so, I cannot help feeling happy happier than I have felt for a long time.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Your lullaby would waken a drunken goblin!
J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Resurrection was the greatest ‘eucatastrophe’ possible in the greatest Fairy Story — and produces that essential emotion: Christian joy which produces tears because it is qualitatively so like sorrow, because it comes from those places where Joy and Sorrow are at one, reconciled, as selfishness and altruism are lost in Love.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Though here at journey's end I lie In darkness buried deep, Beyond all towers strong and high, Beyond all mountains steep, Above all shadows rides the Sun And Stars for ever dwell: I will not say the Day is done, Nor bid the Stars farewell.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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False hopes are more dangerous than fears.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Now when Túrin learnt from Finduilas of what had passed, he was wrathful, and he said to Gwindor: 'In love I hold you for your rescue and sake-keeping. But now you have done ill to me, friend, to betray my right name, and call my doom upon me, from which I would lie hid.' But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Venice seemed incredibly lovely, elvishly lovely--to me like a dream of Old Gondor, or Pelargir of the Numenorean Ships, before the return of the Shadow.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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The war made me poignantly aware of the beauty of the world.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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I will take the Ring, he said, though I do not know the way.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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For even the very wise cannot see all ends.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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If this is victory, then our hands are too small to hold it.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Instead of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen, not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Tempestuous as the sea, and stronger than the foundations of the earth! All shall love me and despair!
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Trolls simply detest the very sight of dwarves (uncooked).
J. R. R. Tolkien