Letter from J. R. R. Tolkien to Professor Campbell after receiving an Honorary Degree

• Reference:GB 237 Coll-1729
• Dates of Creation:28 July 1973
• Name of Creator:
  Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel, 1892-1973 (writer, poet, philologist)
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  1 letter In a folder, in a box

• Scope and Content

  The letter from Professor J. R. R. Tolkien is dated 28 July 1973, and is written at Merton College, Oxford. It is a letter of thanks for the honour bestowed on him in Edinburgh. The letter is addressed to 'Dear Professor Campbell', being Professor Ian M. Campbell, at the then Faculty of Arts (Latin, Humanity).

  The letter was written some two weeks after the event (award of Honorary Degree), and 'after some further travelling'. Tolkien expresses his thanks to Campbell for his 'part in the events [..] both in feasting and in ceremonial'. This had been 'the most resplendent academic occasion' in which he had taken part. He survived the festivities 'with unmarred pleasure, owing to the generous substitution of whisky for wine'. He refers to confirmation of his doctor's advice to 'transfer allegiance wholly from Bacchus to Ceres'.

  Tolkien makes some literary references to his own work in the letter. 'At the laureation', he writes, 'I felt like a hobbit would : as is exhibited [...] especially by Merry and Pippin : great pride and delight in the reception of high honour and title'. Great pride and delight 'combined with [...] a difficulty in believing that it was really happening to me, or was really deserved...'. The words of the Address had left him 'overwhelmed', especially that he had been made 'one of us'.

  'Edinburgh has gripped me fast', he writes, and though his age 'had begun to make me reluctant to travel far, a journey back north [...] will not be reluctant' - if 'opportunity and health allows'.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  In 1973, J. R. R. Tolkien was awarded an Honorary Degree from Edinburgh University. The ceremonial took place over 11-12 July 1973. The award was probably one of Tolkien's last major diary events. He died on 2 September 1973.

• Access Information

  Access should be unrestricted but please check in advance of any consultation.

• Archivist's Note

  Catalogued by Graeme D. Eddie, 28 March 2016.

• Related Material

  Also within the archives of Edinburgh University Library, Centre for Research Collections, and contained in a volume of Acceptances of Honorary Degrees, is a letter dated 9 January 1973, from Tolkien to 'Dear Professor Swann', expressing his delight in accepting 'the offer of the Senatus Academicus' [of the award of honorary degree]. He has 'noted the 12th July 1973', and he hopes 'that nothing will prevent me from presenting myself on that date'.