Читать книгу The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien - Christopher Tolkien - Страница 18

[In mid-March, Tolkien returned the proofs of The Hobbit to Allen & Unwin, having marked them with a very large number of alterations to the original text. He was told that as a result he might have to pay part of the cost of correction, though the publishers noted that he had devised revisions which would occupy exactly the same space as the original text. With the following letter, he submitted a drawing for the dust-jacket, which included a runic inscription.]

13 April 1937

20 Northmoor Road, Oxford

Dear Sirs,

I return under separate cover the corrected Revises of the Hobbit, complete. . . . . I note what you so kindly say about the cost of corrections. I must pay what is just, if required; though I shall naturally be grateful for clemency. Thank you for your trouble & consideration. . . . .

You will find with the revised proofs a draft of the jacket, for your criticism. I discovered (as I anticipated) that it was rather beyond my craft and experience. But perhaps the general design would do?

I foresee the main objections.

There are too many colours: blue, green, red, black. (The 2 reds are an accident; the 2 greens inessential.) This could be met, with possible improvement, by substituting white for red; and omitting the sun, or drawing a line round it. The presence of the sun and moon in the sky together refers to the magic attaching to the door.

It is too complicated, and needs simplifying: e.g. by reducing the mountains to a single colour, and simplification of the jagged ‘fir-trees’. . . . .

In redrawing the whole thing could be reduced – if you think the runes are attractive. Though magical in appearance they merely run: The Hobbit or There and Back Again, being the record of a year’s journey made by Bilbo Baggins; compiled from his memoirs by J. R. R. Tolkien and published by George Allen & Unwin. . . . .

Yrs truly

J. R. R. Tolkien.