[KayQy]

On inspiration and perspiration:

Both are necessary for something truly great. Many people work their fingers to the bone and come up with something that is very skillfully made, and even beautiful, but lacks that --soul for lack of a better word at the moment-- that something that will blow everything else out of the water, that makes it look so "easy". On the other hand, I have turned in essays or stories that were hastily written the night before, and not only gotten an A, but had the prof specifically commend it (and often read more into it than I put in [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] ). When this happens, I always wonder, "What would happen if I actually tried?"

Tolkien, and a few others, take the raw materials that come to them from heaven or their duende or Muse or whatever you want to call it, and work it carefully, meticulously, and dedicatedly until it is a multifaceted gem set in an intricate crown.

Regarding the original topic, I can't think of anything to say that hasn't been said already. But this has been a great discussion, well worth the two days it took me to read it. It was remarkably intelligent, detailed, and insightful (well, not so remarkable for the Downs, but for what I've been spending time on lately...), and sent me back to read "On Fairy Stories" again. I have definitely been away from this board for too long, and I shall have to rectify that. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]