And it slips through our fingers

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by davem

Oh, you take me too seriously. I keep drawing you in to these discussions & you always end up going off in a huff (or if that's too soon a minute & a huff )

Remember, if you go away everyone will think I've won

Oh hardly, I think, davem, particularly since I've drawn you to admit your MO here.

And in answer to Eomer's question about whether Tolkien's idea of the long defeat goes against Enlightenment ideas, my point about Gould's ideas on evolution and progress rather suggests no.

As to Tolkien's ideas about Eden, his letter #96 states his thoughts about perfection and its loss. It is probably one of his most explicit statements of his own personal hope.