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Old 06-07-2018, 04:19 PM   #11
R.R.J Tolkien
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R.R.J Tolkien has just left Hobbiton.
Evidence Tolkien seemed to believe in an old earth from letters 64.



On Thursday I gave 2 lectures and had some troublesome business in town and was too tired to attend the Lewis seance. I hope to see him tomorrow, and read some more of 'the Ring'. It is growing and sprouting again (I did a whole day at it yesterday to the neglect of many matters) and opening out in unexpected ways. So far in the new chapters Frodo and Sam have traversed Sam Gebir, climbed down the cliff, encountered and temporarily tamed Gollum. They have with his guidance crossed the Dead Marshes and the slag-heaps of Mordor, lain in hiding outside the main gates and found them impassable, and set out for a more secret entrance near Minas Morghul (formerly M. Ithil). It will turn out to be the deadly Kirith Ungol and Gollum will play false. But at moment they are in Ithilien (which is proving a lovely land); there has been a lot of bother about stewed rabbit; and they have been captured by Gondorians, and witnessed them ambushing a Swerting army (dark men of South) marching to Mordor's aid. A large elephant of prehistoric size, a war-elephant of the Swertings, is loose, and Sam has gratified a life-long wish to see an Oliphaunt, an animal about which there was a hobbit nursery-rhyme (though it was commonly supposed to be mythical).





Here it seems he accepts "prehistoric" time period of earth history from the uniformitarnism perspective. Of course if one really wanted him to be a young earth creationist we might say he was simply using the common terminology for a woolly mammoth size type creature similar to how creationist scientist also will refer to the geological column by the standard language. Or perhaps "prehistoric" as in pre middle earth third age historical writings unlike the myth/legends of the sillmarillion. However I think the clear reading strongly suggest his acceptance of an old earth.
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“I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size). I like gardens, trees and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food...I am fond of mushrooms.” -J.R.R Tolkien

Last edited by R.R.J Tolkien; 06-07-2018 at 04:25 PM.
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