Discuss Carpenter #144: Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Naomi Mitchison on 25 April 1954

zionius wrote:

Letter link: Carpenter #144: Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Naomi Mitchison • 25 April 1954 (#372)

I note two different dates of this letter are given in LR Reader's Companion (p101, p683: 14 April 1954) and History of The Hobbit (p283 in 2 vol ed: 24 April 1954). But both authors are quoting from Letters, and used "25 April 1954" elsewhere in their books. Descriptive Bibliography p359 also suggests the Sotheby catalogue used 25 April, so I guess that should be the correct date.

Thank you Zionius. Having a look I see that H&S notes the letter as 25 April in LR Reader's Companion 10 times with 2 for 14 April. Maybe Findegil may be able to add something but it looks like those 2 entries may be in error and should read 25 April (unless there is a letter for 14 April).

I have referenced the pages from LR-RG, thank you.

As for History of the Hobbit, I am not personally working through that volume, I think Mr. Underhill is busy with that one but I am confident that John Rateliff's entry (note 14) is an error.

The letter is definitely dated 25 April 1954, accepting Letters, the Sotheby's catalogue listing, and an independent report in our files. We seem (twice!) to have had fingers in the wrong place on the keyboard. We don't know of any letter of 14 April 1954.

Findegil wrote:

The letter is definitely dated 25 April 1954, accepting Letters, the Sotheby's catalogue listing, and an independent report in our files. We seem (twice!) to have had fingers in the wrong place on the keyboard. We don't know of any letter of 14 April 1954.

Thank you both for checking into this.

Great to have confirmation, thank you!