[Child of the 7th Age]

In addition to thinking of magic as "skills," there's another aspect here that's been overlooked. I think most people would agree that the Phial of Galadriel is an example of Elvish magic. Galadriel took the waters of her own fountain (i.e. her mirror)and captured the wonderful rays of white light. And the phial certainly proved magical for Frodo and Sam. Just as Galadriel promises, it is able to protect them "when all other lights go out." Time and again it helps them in their quest--letting Frodo overcome his desire for the Ring, blinding Shelob, and crumbling the gate of the Tower of Cirith Ungol.

But what did this magic really consist of? Galadriel said the crystal phial "caught the light of Earendil's star." This means, in effect, the phial was a sliver of the Silmarilli which in turn had captured the light of the two trees. And the two trees were created by Yavanna's power of song and Nienna's tears of compassion.

So what does this suggest to us? Where does all this "magic" lead us? At least some of the so called magic of the Elves actually had what we in modern life might call a "spiritual base." At its most powerful, as in Galadriel's phial, Elvish magic included skills and powers that derived from the Valar themselves. This, to me, places it in a higher category than mere "skills"

sharon, the 7th age hobbit

[ August 22, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]