XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.fan.tolkien   
   From: hayesstw@telkomsa.net   
      
   On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:04:25 +0200, Troels Forchhammer   
    wrote:   
      
   >In message    
   >Morgoth's Curse  spoke these   
   >staves:   
   >>   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >>      I have always wondered about Tolkien's relationship with   
   >> Charles William.  I have read that Tolkien disliked William's work,   
   >> but I do not know whether the two men were friends otherwise.  (I   
   >> presume that the relationship was at least cordial.)   
   >   
   >The implication in _Letters_ is that Tolkien enjoyed Williams'   
   >company even though he rather strongly disliked his work (and   
   >resented Williams' influence on Lewis). He may have exaggerated when   
   >he wrote to Williams' widow that 'in the (far too brief) years since   
   >I first met him I had grown to admire and love your husband deeply'   
   >(_Letters_ #99). Elsewhere Tolkien describes the relationship of the   
   >two men to a reader of _LotR_:   
   >    But I think we both found the other's mind (or rather mode   
   >    of expression, and climate) as impenetrable when cast into   
   >    'literature', as we found the other's presence and   
   >    conversation delightful.   
   >  _Letters_ #159   
   >   
   >Without going into any discussion of what constitutes 'friendship' I   
   >think the above at least suggests something that goes beyond   
   >'cordial' ;-)   
   >   
   >It would be interesting to know how Williams thought of his   
   >relationship with Tolkien. Does anyone know about that? Has   
   >Williams' letters been published or something?   
      
   I asked in the Charles Williams mailing list, and here are some replies:   
      
   'CW is known to have been around for an Inklings reading of   
   "the new hobbit" (LOTR) but I don't know, offhand, if his reaction was   
   recorded.'   
      
   'Tolkien contributed an essay to a collection tribute to Williams that   
   included such other writers as Lewis and Barfield, I believe. ("Essays to   
   Charles Williams, edited by Lewis.)   
      
   My understanding is that Tolkien and Williams as part of the Inklings were   
   initially good friends. Williams and his writings were enthusiastically   
   embraced by Lewis. Tolkien later soured to him and had some not so good   
   things to say about his writings.'   
      
   'Williams was enthusiastic about the "new hobbit". I can't give a reference   
   off hand, but could probably find it. Tolkien didn't "sour" to Williams   
   till well after the latter's death (when T was ouring to a lot of   
   things...)' Richard Sturch.   
      
   From Jon Isaac:   
      
   'Now that I am home: The essay contributed to the Williams tribute by   
   Tolkie was called "On Fairy Stories". Other essayists were Dorothy Sayers,   
   Owen Barfield and the Lewises Clive and Warren.   
      
   In his introduction to the book Lewis narrates a funny story about   
   Williams: "Thus on the one hand there lived in Williams a sceptic and even   
   a pessimist. ...He toyed with the idea that he and I should collaborate in   
   a book of animal stories from the bible, told by the animals   
   concerned--the story of Jonah told by the whale or that of Elisha told by   
   the two she-bears. The bears were to be convinced that God exists and is   
   good by their sudden meal of children." (Elisha, on being called baldy by   
   two children, called to God who made bears eat them.)'   
      
      
      
      
   --   
   Steve Hayes   
   Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/litmain.htm   
        http://www.goodreads.com/hayesstw   
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)