“A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid.”

“A friend of mine tells that I talk in shorthand and then smudge it.”

“A pen is to me as a beak is to a hen.”

“A safe fairyland is untrue to all worlds.”

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

“Courage is found in unlikely places.”

“Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.”

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

“Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.”

“I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”

“I don't like allegories.”

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

“It may be the part of a friend to rebuke a friend's folly.”

“It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish.”

“Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.”

“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”

“Middle English is an exciting field - almost uncharted, I begin to think, because as soon as one turns detailed personal attention on to any little corner of it, the received notions and ideas seem to crumple up and fall to pieces - as far as language goes, at any rate.”

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

“So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending!”

“Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate.”

“The original 'Hobbit' was never intended to have a sequel - Bilbo 'remained very happy to the end of his days and those were extraordinarily long': a sentence I find an almost insuperable obstacle to a satisfactory link.”

“The proper study of Man is anything but Man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.”

“The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.”

“You have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.”