I think the aesthetic appeal of Farmer Maggot's name is that it has an earthy appeal; it sounds rough and somewhat uncouth (like the fields he tills), and yet not sinister or evil. As you may have noticed [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] , all hobbits have rather strange last names, but I believe that they are constructed in such a way as to sound quite rural (in the old English sense of the world) and simple. Maggot, Boffins, Bolger, etc. are good examples, because while they may sound strange, they give a distinct feel to the hobbits.
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...where the instrument of intelligence is added to brute power and evil will, mankind is powerless in its own defence.
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