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The most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.

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
J-R-R Tolkien
Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
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More quotes by J. R. R. Tolkien

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Gandalf: Three hundred lives of men I have walked this earth and now I have no time.
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I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to
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That's the only place in all the lands we've ever heard of that we don't want to see any closer and that's the one place we're trying to get to! And that's just where we can't get, nohow.
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Tears unnumbered ye shall shed.
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This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers Gnaws iron, bites steel Grinds hard stones to meal Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.
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And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.
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But the only measure that he knows is desire desire for power and so he judges all hearts. Into his heart the thought will not enter that any will refuse it that having the Ring we may seek to destroy it. If we seek this we shall put him out of reckoning.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Let him go, you filth! Let him go! You will not touch him again!
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Speak, or I will put a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find hard to deal with!
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Then hope unlooked-for came so suddenly to Eomer's heart, and with it the bite of care and fear renewed, that he said no more, but turned and went swiftly from the hall.
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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Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Then she fell on her knees, saying: 'I beg thee!' 'Nay, lady,' he said, and taking her by the hand he raised her. The he kissed her hand, and sprang into the saddle, and rode away, and did not look back and only those who knew him well and were near to him saw the pain that he bore.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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In one thing you have not changed, dear friend, said Aragorn: you still speak in riddles. What? In riddles? said Gandalf. No! For I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.
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Of all the things that men may heed 'Tis most of love they sing indeed.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation - This story begins and ends in joy.
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Fifteen birds in five firtrees, their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze! But, funny little birds, they had no wings! O what shall we do with the funny little things? Roast 'em alive, or stew them in a pot fry them, boil them and eat them hot?
J. R. R. Tolkien
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True education is a kind of never ending story — a matter of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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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.
J. R. R. Tolkien