Middle-earth Mysteries

[Farael]

Originally Posted by radagastly

As I recall, (and I don't have access to the Letters), Sauron wanted to order the world for it's own good, according to his own designs. His motives were pure, even generous (in his own mind) , at least at the beginning. Saruman, on the other hand, wanted power for it's own sake, and ultimately found it empty and ineffective.

Well, I must say I never read the letters but I thought it was the other way about. If I'm not mistaken, when Saruman tries to convince Gandalf to join his side he talks about ordering the world for it to be the "proper way". He seems misguidingly altruistic (as in trying to convince himself that he is acting for the greater good of mankind when instead he's just making up excuses for his desire for power). On the other hand, Sauron seems to want power for power itself. he's willing to destroy, burn and kill his way to power, even if it's power over a barren land.

Yet I have never read the letters and I'm basing my argument solely on LoTR (and that, quoting off my memory). Tolkien might have said otherwise.