Why Bilbo?

[Elladan and Elrohir]

I don't have the book with me, so I can't give an exact quote, but methinks Chapter XIX "The Last Stage" may shed some light on whether Tolkien intended Providence to play a role in The Hobbit from the beginning. Check out the conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo that happens at the very end of the book. They're not exactly talking about Eru, but I think we can catch the drift.

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by The Hobbit, XIX

"Then the old prophecies have turned out to be true, after a fashion!" said Bilbo.

"Of course!" said Gandalf. "And why should they not prove true? Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a part 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!"

The conversation does imply participation by Providence in Bilbo's adventures. Gandalf is telling Bilbo that the course of his journey was intended to run as it did, at least with respect ro fulfilling the prophecies related to Smaug's demise. That would lend support to the idea of Bilbo's being chosen for the adventure in some way beyond Gandalf's inital understanding being present from the beginning, although, perhaps like Gandalf, Tolkien wasn't completely aware of it until later.

[Findegil]

Chapter XIX does not help to answer Child's question, I think.

Child is clearly right that all versions of "The Quest of Erebor" were written in 1955 when Tolkien prepaired the Appendices for the "The Return of the King". Thus the idea of providence guiding Gandalf to chose Bilbo is clearly an after thought.

Also chapter XIX of the Hobbit was written long after chapter I. As fare as we know "The Hobbit" was not written in one contious efford. The story was left for a longtime unfinished ending with the death of Smaug. Thus even Gandalf talking to Bilbo about his rôle in the quest and hinting at providence as a important force is as well an after thought of Tolkien refelcting on story written years before.

Respectfully
Findegil

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by Findegil

Chapter XIX does not help to answer Child's question, I think.

Child is clearly right that all versions of "The Quest of Erebor" were written in 1955 when Tolkien prepaired the Appendices for the "The Return of the King". Thus the idea of providence guiding Gandalf to chose Bilbo is clearly an after thought.

Also chapter XIX of the Hobbit was written long after chapter I. As fare as we know "The Hobbit" was not written in one contious efford. The story was left for a longtime unfinished ending with the death of Smaug. Thus even Gandalf talking to Bilbo about his rôle in the quest and hinting at providence as a important force is as well an after thought of Tolkien refelcting on story written years before.

Respectfully
Findegil

True, but I think that it at least dates the genesis of the idea prior to publishing the LotR, making it present during the process of writing The Hobbit rather than an afterthought when The Hobbit became part of the larger Legendarium. Unless, of course, the conversation dates from the same time as the revisions to the riddle game...

Anyone have an annotated copy?

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Celuien

True, but I think that it at least dates the genesis of the idea prior to publishing the LotR, making it present during the process of writing The Hobbit rather than an afterthought when The Hobbit became part of the larger Legendarium. Unless, of course, the conversation dates from the same time as the revisions to the riddle game...

No, it goes back to the original edition, I'm pretty sure. And that makes it not only prior to the Lord of the Rings publication, but prior to its very writing. It would have been written, then, before Tolkien ever began the sequel that was to lead to Mt. Doom.