You say 'Faeries' & I say 'Fairies'

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bb

I don't see where it necessarily follows that The relationship must therefore be one of love. Unless Tolkien means that only love can provide any kind of kindship between the two realms.

I wondered about this too. The lines:

The love of Faery is the love of love: a relationship towards all things. animate and inanimate, which includes love and respect, and removes or modifies a spirit of possession and domination. Without it even plain 'Utility' will in fact become less useful; or will turn to ruthlessness and lead only to mere power, ultimately destructive.

made me wonder. Does Tolkien mean 'The human love of (ie for) Faery is the 'love of love' or that the love of Faery & its inhabitants for Man & the human world is the 'love of love'? Or does it refer to the state of 'love', which is the essential nature of Faery in general & of the Elves in particular, is the 'love of love' & when that 'love of love' is directed towards the Human world it manifests as a love of humanity & our world, but is not, in its nature, specifically focussed on us alone?

Or am I just rambling......