Читать книгу The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien - Christopher Tolkien - Страница 16

[Some time between 1932 and 1937, Tolkien wrote and illustrated a short book for children entitled Mr Bliss. For a description of it, see Biography p. 163. It was shown to Allen & Unwin at the same time that The Hobbit was submitted. The publishers said they would be happy to accept it, providing Tolkien could reduce the number of colours in the drawings.]

17 January 1937

20 Northmoor Road, Oxford

Dear Sir,

‘Mr Bliss’ returned safely. I can only say that I was surprised to receive your kind letter the following morning. I did not imagine that he was worth so much trouble. The pictures seem to me mostly only to prove that the author cannot draw. But if your firm really think that he is worth publishing, I will try and make the illustrations more easy to reproduce. Certainly it would be a great help, if you would be so kind as to call, as you suggest, and give me some advice. I am at present endeavouring to earn a grant for ‘research’,¹ in addition to my ordinary duties, but I may find some odd moments in the near future, especially as I am freed from the burden of examining for two years.

I am also grateful and pleasantly surprised that the drawings for ‘the Hobbit’ can be used. I leave it in your hands as to the best way of reproducing and using them. Actually the chart – the map with runes – was intended to be tipped in (folded) in Chapter I, opposite the first mention of it: ‘a piece of parchment rather like a map’, towards the end of the chapter. The other map in the ‘home MS.’ came at the end, and the long narrow drawing of Mirkwood² was at the beginning. The Elvenking’s Gate came at the end of Ch. VIII, Lake Town in Ch. X, The Front Gate in Ch. XI after the description of the adventurers’ first sight of it: ‘they could see the dark cavernous opening in a great cliff-wall’. In considering the matter closer I see that this concentrates all the maps and pictures, in place or reference, towards the end. This is due to no plan, but occurs simply because I failed to reduce the other illustrations to even passable shape. I was also advised that those with a geographical or landscape content were the most suitable – even apart from my inability to draw anything else.

I now enclose 6 more.³ They all are obviously defective, and quite apart from this may, each or some, present difficulties of reproduction. Also you may be quite unwilling to consider thus belatedly any more complications, and a change of plan. So that I shall be neither pained nor surprised if you return them, all or any. . . . .

I am yrs. truly,

J. R. R. Tolkien.