Of the Three and the Fading of the elves

[Galin]

I agree Gorthaur... heal a trodden flower and it is, at least in some sense, 'preserved', but it will then wither and die according to its natural cycle.

Nenya preserves a flower for centuries (however long), unwithered, and Galadriel does not have to minister to each flower specifically, but all trees and flowers in her realm fall under Nenya's sway... but this too must ultimately fail.

[Gorthaur the Cruel]

Originally Posted by Galin

I agree Gorthaur... heal a trodden flower and it is, at least in some sense, 'preserved', but it will then wither and die according to its natural cycle.

Nenya preserves a flower for centuries (however long), unwithered, and Galadriel does not have to minister to each flower specifically, but all trees and flowers in her realm fall under Nenya's sway... but this too must ultimately fail.

Yes, Nenya must fail because it was linked to the One and because of Galadriel's final choice to reject the Great Ring. But I believe, the will of Eru and his intentions for the elves to live in Valinor and Sauron's binding of the Three aside, the Three could have warded off time and decay indefinitely. Afterall, they were the pinnacle of Celebrimbor's craft. Those who held them could truly create enchanted paradise East of the sea, especially Nenya, which Tolkien intended later in life as the 'Chief of the Three'. Remember the feeling Frodo felt when he touched the mallorn in Lorien. He could feel the delight and life of the tree itself. I believe the Three were more than capable of preserving realms and Elves' bodies until the life-age of the earth reaches its end. Unfortunately, the glory was short-lived thanks to Sauron's deceits.

And yes, I agree with you Galin, that the Elessar needed to be individually administrated to the flora and fauna. How inconvenient and time-consuming and frustrating, for it cannot even last. Now, suppose the Three were freed from the One's grasp and survived after the One had gone, could the Three possibly cover the entire Middle-Earth in its preserving and healing sway? Or is the extent of the effect only equivalent to the likes of Lorien--a small forest and seemingly equivalent in size as Nan Elmoth of Beleriand?

[Galin]

Originally Posted by Gorthaur the Cruel

(...) especially Nenya, which Tolkien intended later in life as the 'Chief of the Three'.

Hmm, but did he? While the Elessar manuscript was written after The Lord of the Rings of course, I'll just add that it is not what I would call a very late text, nor did Tolkien revise 'Vilya, the mightiest of the Three' for the second edition of The Lord of the Rings, which came later.

Sorry -- straying a bit off topic (moreover, based on one small part of your post!), but I couldn't resist.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Galin

Hmm, but did he? While the Elessar manuscript was written after The Lord of the Rings of course, I'll just add that it is not what I would call a very late text, nor did Tolkien revise 'Vilya, the mightiest of the Three' for the second edition of The Lord of the Rings, which came later.

I agree, and it wouldn't make sense for Celebrimbor to not give Gil-Galad the mightiest of the three, but just because it was the strongest, it doesn't necessarily mean that Vilya was "The one that can best preserve the nearby environment". After all, it doesn't seem that Gandalf used Narya in such a way. The power of Three wasn't the same but just at different strengths. Though they had a hierarchy of strength, they were each related to a different element, and so power they gave their holder probably had different characteristics.

[Galin]

While it's true that Tolkien could be making a distinction between 'mightiest' and 'chief', and while I also don't think he necessarily need feel bound by a letter, still, in lettter 131 he noted that the chief power of all the rings alike was the prevention or slowing of decay...

... adding that the Three were supremely beautiful and powerful '... and directed to the preservation of beauty'.

If Tolkien wants to explain how Nenya is the chief and Vilya is the mightiest, he certainly has the creativity to come up with something, but he might just have forgotten what he had published concerning Vilya too, and considering the other questions The Elessar manuscript raises, I might question this detail as well.