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Re: Tolkien and the Moberly–Jourdain incident

Subject: Re: Tolkien and the Moberly–Jourdain incident
by garm on 2010/11/28 3:23:41

I have a copy; though I'm afraid it's still on my 'to read' list. However, taking it down from the shelf, I see that Flieger mentions that an account of the incident was published in 1911, and that Tolkien 'could have' been aware of it. Flieger uses the phrase 'could have' twice in a very short space of time, in a quite densely-packed passage.

I'm afraid I don't have the time at present to do the Professor's argument justice, but for now I'd say that the 'Moberly–Jourdain incident' had about as much 'influence' on Tolkien's works as did the Cottingley fairies, which is to say, none at all.

Though I could be wrong.