Gollum and Eagles: Deux ex machina?

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Raynor

can't argue with the professor though

Except that you can, Raynor.

In the time that you've been on the 'Downs, it has become immediately clear that you know your Letters and HoME backwards and forwards. You ought, however, realize better than most the flip-flopping of opinion that Tolkien experienced on many, many of his topics.

For example, with regards to this quotes on Eagles et al, Tolkien was looking for a viable way of explaining their apparent sentience. There is no conclusive proof (which I would define as multiple texts from later or contemporary dates giving the same opinion) that he ultimately decided that this new idea of his was correct. As I recall from that particular passage, there is a very clear air of SUGGESTION to all the texts in that section of Morgoth's Ring.

In other words, although Tolkien puts forward this as an idea, I would say that to quote it as definitively decided by him would be rather foolhardy.