What if Gollum had lived?

[Inziladun]

Moonraker, this is a quote from The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien that illustrates what I've been trying to say:

Gollum was pitiable, but he ended in persistent wickedness, and the fact that this worked good was no credit to him....The domination of the Ring was much too strong for the mean soul of Sméagol. But he would have never had to endure it if he had not become a mean sort of thief before it crossed his path.

# 181

Again, Gollum was deserving of pity, but had he lived he would only have earned freedom to go and live (or die) as he pleased. Frodo might have offered to care for him, but I think it certain any offer of help would have been refused.