[Legolas]

In other words, was the visitor implying more than just that Tolkien had used bits of myths & legends?

A little, perhaps.

Was he implying more than just some kind of religiously inspired allegory? Was the visitor implying something more precise, ie, that in some way Middle Earth is, or was, real?

No, not at all. I do think Tolkien knew exactly what he was talking about; if not immediately, then in the years afterwards that he thought about the conversation.

It was not at all an allegory. Allegory is a conscious attempt at depicting something using something else. Tolkien did not do this.

A few years ago I was visited in Oxford by a man whose name I have forgotten (though I believe he was well-known). He had been much struck by the curious way in which many old pictures seemed to him to have been designed to illustrate The Lord of the Rings long before its time. He brought one or two reproductions. I think he wanted at first simply to discover whether my imagination had fed on pictures, as it clearly had been by certain kinds of literature and languages. When it became obvious that, unless I was a liar, I had never seen the pictures before and was not well acquainted with pictorial An, he fell silent. I became aware that he was looking fixedly at me. Suddenly he said: 'Of course you don't suppose, do you, that you wrote all that book yourself?'
Pure Gandalf! I was too well acquainted with G. to expose myself rashly, or to ask what he meant. I think I said: 'No, I don't suppose so any longer.' I have never since been able to suppose so. An alarming conclusion for an old philologist to draw concerning his private amusement. But not one that should puff any one up who considers the imperfections of 'chosen instruments', and indeed what sometimes seems their lamentable unfitness for the purpose.

What he meant (which seems obvious to me) is that the stories were inspired and influenced by everything Tolkien had studied or been involved with up to that point. Any paintings, stories, or poems he was familiar with; any scenes he had saw for himself; or basically anything he had experienced. This would include any religious experiences as well. In that way, anyone/thing he had some sort of connection to might've had a hand in inspiring his wonderful stories. He couldn't have done it all on his own.

This is one of my favourite excerpts from the Letters.

'Of course you don't suppose, do you, that you wrote all that book yourself?'

That is Gandalf, no question. Reminds me of the last bit of The Hobbit:

"Of course!" said Gandalf. "And why should not they prove true? Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!"
"Thank goodness!" said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar.

[ March 29, 2003: Message edited by: Legolas ]