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**lindil** · 01-23-2005, 06:49 PM

It may not be common knowledge, but a member of the Silm Project who hosted a draft of our version of the Fall of Gondolin was threatened w/ a lawsuit, and the material has thusly been 'disappeared'. One may also not that the JRRT [and many other great bits of art] that were an original feature of the Downs [well maybe after a few months or so], are long gone. Due, I vaguely recall to pointed legal notices.

Fascinating update overall, I barely make it here much less around to any other tolkien boards these days so I was unaware of the various debates raging. I must say I agree w/ Underhill and see a certain bit of elvish embalmitis in CJRT's actions and attitudes [as he has stated himself in may places]. I think he came to regret his Silmarillion tampering, even though in a 1977 interview I read w/ him he was very confident of his knowledge, ability and his father's blessing to fix up the Silm for publication. Later reflection on his editing of the Silm has him wishing he had NOT been so creative. So...

If he was at first confident in his steward like authority over the remaining Legendarium materials and feared later that he had misused his license, imagine then, how little confidence he has in anyone doing anything 'co-creative' with M E. Tolkien's oft quoted 'other hands' letter notwithstanding. Just my $.02.

-L

01-23-2005, 06:49 PM	#29
lindil Seeker of the Straight Path Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal Posts: 1,681	It may not be common knowledge, but a member of the Silm Project who hosted a draft of our version of the Fall of Gondolin was threatened w/ a lawsuit, and the material has thusly been 'disappeared'. One may also not that the JRRT [and many other great bits of art] that were an original feature of the Downs [well maybe after a few months or so], are long gone. Due, I vaguely recall to pointed legal notices. Fascinating update overall, I barely make it here much less around to any other tolkien boards these days so I was unaware of the various debates raging. I must say I agree w/ Underhill and see a certain bit of elvish embalmitis in CJRT's actions and attitudes [as he has stated himself in may places]. I think he came to regret his Silmarillion tampering, even though in a 1977 interview I read w/ him he was very confident of his knowledge, ability and his father's blessing to fix up the Silm for publication. Later reflection on his editing of the Silm has him wishing he had NOT been so creative. So... If he was at first confident in his steward like authority over the remaining Legendarium materials and feared later that he had misused his license, imagine then, how little confidence he has in anyone doing anything 'co-creative' with M E. Tolkien's oft quoted 'other hands' letter notwithstanding. Just my $.02. -L Last edited by lindil; 01-23-2005 at 07:03 PM. Reason: typos - of course!