262 To Michael di Capua, Pantheon Books

[Pantheon Books of New York asked Tolkien to write a preface to a new edition of George MacDonald's The Golden Key. Although he did not in the event write it, the result of his beginning work on the preface was the composition of Smith of Wootton Major, which began as a very short story to be contained within the preface. See further Biography pp. 242-3, which quotes part of the intended preface.]

7 September 1964

76 Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford

Dear Mr di Capua,

I should like to write a short preface to a separate edition of The Golden Key. I am not as warm an admirer of George MacDonald as C. S. Lewis was; but I do think well of this story of his. I mentioned it in my essay On Fairy-stories. ....

I am not at all confident that I can produce anything worthy of the honorarium that you offer. I am not naturally attracted (in fact much the reverse) by allegory, mystical or moral. But I will do my best, if there is time. In any case I am grateful to you for your consideration. Yours sincerely, J. R. R. Tolkien.