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(did you mean Carpenter's Letter #259?)
TCG Letter #259
From
J.R.R. Tolkien
To
Mr Britten
Date
5 November 1956
Type
Autograph Letter Signed
Transcript
Partial
Tolkien answers some questions, on The Silmarillion and on Elvish sleep among more general queries.
It is plainly suggested that Elves do ‘sleep’, but not in our mode, having a different relation to what we call ‘dreaming’. Nothing very definite is said about it (a) because except at a length destructive of narrative it would be difficult to describe a different mode of consciousness, and (b) for reasons that you so rightly observe: something must be left not fully explained, and only suggested.
It is plainly suggested that Elves do ‘sleep’, but not in our mode, having a different relation to what we call ‘dreaming’. Nothing very definite is said about it (a) because except at a length destructive of narrative it would be difficult to describe a different mode of consciousness, and (b) for reasons that you so rightly observe: something must be left not fully explained, and only suggested.
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