. . . I quote because of its reference to light, and the perception of light.
"You speak of 'a sanity and sanctity' in the L.R. 'which is a power in
itself'. I was deeply moved. Nothing of the kind had been said to
me before. But by a strange chance, just as I was beginning this letter,
I had one from a man, who classified himself as 'an unbeliever, or at best a
man of belatedly and dimly dawning religious feeling . . . but you', he said,
'create a world in which some sort of faith seems to be everywhere without a
visible source, like light from an invisible lamp'. I can only answer:
'Of his own sanity no man can securely judge. If sanctity inhabits his
work or as a pervading light illumines it then it does not come from him but
through him. And neither of you would perceive it in these terms unless
it was with you also. Otherwise you would see and feel nothing, or (if
some other spirit was present) you would be filled with contempt, nausea,
hatred. 'Leaves out of the elf-country, gah!' 'Lembas -- dust and
ashes, we don't eat
that.'"
________________________________________
"‘I think he was a silly little man,' said Councillor Tompkins. ‘Worthless, in fact; no use to Society at all.'
"‘Oh, I don't know,' said Atkins, who was nobody of importance, just a schoolmaster. ‘I am not so sure: it depends on what you mean by use .'
"‘No practical or economic use,' said Tompkins. . . .
. . .
"‘It is proving very useful indeed,' said the Second Voice. ‘As a holiday, and a refreshment. It is splendid for convalescence; and not only for that, for many it is the best introduction to the Mountains. It works wonders in some cases. I am sending more and more there. They seldom have to come back.'"
