Typed letter to publisher AW Riddle dated 2nd October 1947 by John Tolkien sold at Bayliss Rare Books auction. In it, the English writer criticizes his colleague Arthur Conan Doyle.
Seven and a half pages of typescript with Tolkien's personal signature tell the story of the relation to the grammar and language of the adventure writer Sherlock Holmes. Along with this, the text also mentions the detective himself several times. Among other things, Tolkien emphasizes the evolution of written and spoken language in Doyle's texts.
The letter described that Sherlock Holmes and his brother Mycroft "do not come across as two respectable gentlemen" and that Conan Doyle "does not stand out as a particularly keen thinker himself". However, Tolkien believes that the train of thought of a book detective is a rare phenomenon. He supports this with relevant arguments.
Tolkien argues that there is no such thing as "correctness". He even suggests that any grammatical change can be accepted if enough people agree to it or if it becomes fashionable.
In the text, he calls himself a "linguistic historian with a scientific outlook," a specialist in Anglo-Saxon and medieval English, as well as a poet.
Previously, this letter was already on the auction. It was in 2002. Then it got into a private collection.
baylissbooks.co.uk
Source: baylissbooks.co.uk
antiquestradegazette.com
