JRR Tolkien’s frustration with a typist’s careless work on his manuscript was so intense that he expressed his discontent in a letter that has recently come to light.

The author of The Lord of the Rings expressed his despair, stating the typist had rendered his manuscript nonsensical. He showed some sympathy towards the typist, acknowledging that the material was unfamiliar, but questioned their attention to detail.

Tolkien mocked the typist’s errors, including their confusion of words such as “poche” for poetic and “highballs!” for high halls, among other mistakes.

The letter is part of an extensive collection of mainly unpublished correspondence that illustrates Tolkien’s aversion to carelessness and his passion for language.

The archive includes the last major Tolkien manuscript privately owned, The Road Goes Ever On, a collaboration with composer Donald Swann from the musical duo Flanders and Swann.

This collection, offering a glimpse into the creative process of one of literature’s most influential figures, is being auctioned by Jonkers Rare Books, dealers in rare books based in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Christiaan Jonkers, the founder of the book selling house, remarked that it is “undoubtedly the most significant collection of Tolkien material to be available for sale in over a generation.”

In 1956, Marquette University in Milwaukee acquired manuscripts and working drafts of some of Tolkien’s most celebrated works, including The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The university’s then director of libraries, William B. Ready, identified the significance of The Lord of the Rings and purchased the entire collection for £1,500, when no other institution was interested.

The sales of Tolkien’s fantasy novels have since topped 150 million copies worldwide, inspiring adaptations like Peter Jackson’s critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings film series, which remains one of cinema’s most successful franchises.

Tolkien’s remaining manuscripts were posthumously donated by his estate to the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

Jonkers Rare Books acquired this last archive from the family of Swann, who passed away in 1984. The price tag of £550,000 reflects the archive’s rarity.

According to Jonkers, this collection has been overlooked due to its collaborative nature. The Road Goes Ever On is a song cycle composed by Swann, incorporating verses from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

The archive includes 21 letters, along with original songs, poems, and 13 pages of notes, documenting the extensive discussions between Tolkien and Swann on how the songs should be performed, as the verses were originally written in Elvish.

Tolkien provided Swann with pronunciation and meter guidance for the songs, as well as context for the language used. This correspondence shows mutual admiration and friendship between the two men, contrary to the sometimes simbailable portrayal of Tolkien as being aloof and irritable.

Tolkien expressed his admiration for Swann’s performance reputation and appreciated their intellect and taste. In one letter, he wrote of enjoying a Flanders and Swann performance, stating he had not laughed so much since an amusing incident he witnessed involving an Archbishop of Canterbury.

Jonkers Rare Books will showcase the collection at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair in April.