From the Hobbit Hole

[page 3] <I-Palantir, written in Tengwar with tehta> No l August 1960 From the Hobbit Hole Unto all students of ancient lore, Greetings. This is the first issue of a new magazine, intended as a vehicle for ideas, extrapolations, thoughts, whimseys, and general discussion on that time and area known as Middle Earth, or on any topic relating thereto. Thus, you will find among other items in this issue: a literary comparison, a fictional narrative, and an addition to previously publiched @published@ lore combined with an erudite scientific paper. In future issues we hope to publish more works such as these, and request submission of any researches related to the subject. After considering both the advice of others and our own observations, we have come to the conclusion that there should be two ranks of membership in The Fellowship of the Ring. First there will be those who have submitted an acceptable research work --- this will most often be a written study of some aspect of previously published works, but may deal with anything connected with them. The second rank of membership will consist of those who have an interest in Middle Earth, but feel they lack the initiative, ability, and/or time to do research on it. Both groups will pay dues, set tentatively at one dollar a year -- this amount will help pay for publication of I PALANTIR, membership cards for all members, and certificates for upper-rank members. So far there have been no new councils formed. As previously described in our first tentative flyer outlining the organization, a council shall consist of a minimum of five members, of which at least one must be of the upper-rank, located within such an area that they may meet with some amount of regularity. Upon application to the headwuarters @headquarters@ of the Fellowship (see the colophon of this magazine), they will be invested with a title, and presented with a charter, including a model constitution and organizational outline. A copy of this magazine, which we hope will be self-explanatory, will be sent to J.R.R. Tolkien, translator of the Red Book of Westmarch and certainly our master in matters of the lore of Middle Earth, and, incidentally, holder of the copyrights on the published translations. We hope that our organization will proceed with hie blessing. May Eärendil guide you, and may the Darkness from the East never shroud your path. - - - Ted Johnstone [3]