I wonder whether has anything to do with the fact that in between the writing of The Hobbit and the LOTR, Tolkien had spent some more, significant, time on the Silmarillion. Perhaps that added the different flavor? He began reaching back into his written history, giving the story it's weighty background, rather than into mystery. The second time he stepped into Elrond's territory he knew that much more about the history he was stepping into. Even Amon Sul had that sort of history to it. But Bombadil nor the old forest show up in those histories; => mystery then.
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...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.
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