The Nature of Middle-earth

by J. R. R. Tolkien

  As mentioned in the editorial notes, the verso of this last sheet appears to be draft material for the first scheme presented above; moreover, the first line of that first scheme echoes the final line of that draft material. It might be thought then that this scheme is continuous with that drafting: i.e., that it is in fact the first and earliest of the schemes in this bundle. But if so, it adheres less strictly to the contents of that drafting than does the first scheme presented above, in that the intervals between birth and next gestation don’t begin to increase until the 5th gen., and neither is there a percentage reduction in wedded pairs until the 5th gen. (where it is 5%, as it is in the 6th gen.).

  I cannot therefore with assurance place this scheme chronologically with respect to the preceding schemes. Nonetheless, since Tolkien both retained the sheet and did not strike its recto through, I present it here in its bundle-order.

  Thus: the Quendi awake in VY 1000. Number 144. The 2nd gen. appears in VY 1000/9.

  * * *

  see notes [15] [16] [17]

  Before the 7th gen. was produced Oromë arrives in VY 1085.

  XV

  A GENERATIONAL SCHEME

  This text is written in black ink with a narrow nib-pen on the versos of engagement calendar pages for 22–28 March, 29 March–4 April, 19–25 April, 26 April–2 May, 3–9 May, and 17–23 May, 1959, which Tolkien clipped together.

  First Elves. Start with 144. First births: FA 10, 31, 52, 73, 94, 115, 136, 157, 178, 199, 220, 241; each produce 72. 2nd gen. 72 × 12 = 864. 240 years from first begetting in year 1 to last birth in 241.

  Second Elves: born in 12 groups of 72 each between FA 10 and 241. Of these 36 pairs in each group only an average of 35 pairs wed = 420 pairs: each produce 11 = 4,620. The first group, born at 10, will beget at maturity, 288 = FA 298, and their first births will follow in 307; the second group, born in 31, will beget in 319 (births in 328).

  The Third Elves will therefore begin to appear in 307. Since Second Elves only produce 11 children, each pair will have an Onnalúmë of 219 years (11 × 9 = 99 + 10 × 12 = 120). The last births will therefore be from those born in 241 and mature in 529, sc. in 529 + 219 = FA 748.

  Thus there will be 4,620 persons born between 307 and 748.

  Third Elves: born in 22 groups of varying content, two groups (born 307 and 748) of 35 each, two (328 and 727) of 70 each, and so on. There will obviously already be marriages outside groups and so on. But the average will probably be fairly closely found if 34 is substituted for 35, making two groups of 34, two of 68, etc. Total wedded pairs = 4,488. These produce 10 children each. The 4th gen. therefore = 44,880.

  Onnalúmë = 198 [sun-years]. Begetting and bearing of 4th gen. from FA 595 to 1234.

  At the time of the Finding in FA 864 the first 3 Gens. were complete = 144 + 864 + 4,620 = 5,628. But the 4th gen. began to appear in 604. Its first four groups = 3,400 had appeared. Of the subsequent groups to 864:

  The population at the arrival of Oromë therefore was 5,628 older Elves (youngest 116 years old = age 98⁄12) + 14,960 young Elves (eldest 260 = age 215⁄12, youngest = 8 years = 8⁄12 or 8 months) = 20,588. (This number will be greatly increased in immediately following years.)

  After this the average number of children varies. 3 remains frequent (but 2 is also frequent) but the interval varies from 84 to 144.

  Note: There was never any objection at any time to marriage outside the “generations”: in fact it soon becomes inevitable and necessary (though the Quendi always know their ancestry and place in the descent from the Three First Elves). Also, the Quendi were all one people, and though “the Companies” soon began to dwell and house separately (hence they were called olië ‘people together’ and ombari ‘dwellers together’) there was never any objection to marriage between members of different companies. Though these were naturally not frequent (more common among the leaders and chief families). They did not upset the “average” calculations. The Company of Imin (Imillië) were always more separate (rather proud of being the Eldest), and relations between the Tatalië and Enellië were closer. It was arranged – for Imin, Tata, and Enel said men [i.e., Elvish males] awoke first, and began the families – that when any woman married one of another Company, she was reckoned to have joined the Company of her husband. The exchange was about equal and does not affect calculations materially. For the same reason, descent of authority was reckoned from the immediate father; but women were in no way considered less or unequal, and Quendian genealogy traced both lines of descent with care.

  XVI

  NOTE ON THE YOUTH AND GROWTH OF THE QUENDI

  This text occupies two sides of an unlined sheet, and is written in black ink with a narrow nib-pen. It dates from c. 1959.

  In appearance and content it is closely related to the initial schemes of the text presented in the next chapter, and probably closely precedes those, since they uniformly exhibit a gestational period of one sun-year for Elves, whereas prior to this text the period was 9 sun-years.

  All the elaborate calculations based on olmië 12 : 1 and coivië 144 : 1 are both cumbrous, and in early narrative (Awaking and Finding, March, etc.) quite unworkable. Also unlikely. The difference between Elves and Men is mainly in longevity after becoming full-grown: this depends mainly again on the difference in powers of Elvish and Human fëar. As far as hröar go Elves are “of the flesh of Arda” and quite unlikely to grow at a rate wholly out of keeping with the rest of corporeal or incarnate creatures.

  The Elvishness should therefore only appear when their hröar reach prime (adult) and then do not for a very long time show any diminishment of physical youth and vigour. (This will help with Maeglin!)[1]

  Elves should grow from conception at a rate comparable to Human; but from maturity onward should slow to 144 : 1 rate, diminution appearing (almost imperceptibly at first) at c. age 96.

  Let Elves remain in the womb for 1 löa, Spring to Spring. Both sexes reach maturity at 24 löar, and then slow. But puberty is different: in males reached at about 21, in females at 18. Nowadays before [?these ages].[2] The First Elves awoke at 21/18. Weddings were immediate. Later weddings in “Early Years” (before the March) usually at 24/21–24.

  Olmendi [‘growth-years’]: 1 olmen = 1 löa.

  Coimendi [‘life-years’]: 1 coimen = 144 löar

  Colbanavië [‘gestation’] = 1 olmen

  Ontavalië ‘puberty’: male 21 olmendi, female 18 olmendi.

  Quantolië ‘maturity’: 24 olmendi

  Vinimetta: ‘end of youth’: 96 = 24 löar + 72 coimendi = 24 + 10,368 = 10,392.

  XVII

  GENERATIONAL SCHEMES

  This complex of texts, which were pinned together by Tolkien, dates like most of the “Time and Ageing” file from c. 1959, as indicated by the engagement calendar pages for May, June, and August used for some of them. I characterize the individual texts below.

  Note that throughout the gestation period is 1 löa, as is the length of a growth-year.

  TEXT 1

  The first text is written in a (mostly) clear hand in black ink with a narrow-nib pen, on the backs of two engagement calendar pages for 24–30 May and 31 May–6 June, 1959, respectively; with a few later changes and additions in pencil.

  First Elves. Awoke at ontavalië [‘puberty’] ([males] 21/[females] 18).[1] But they did not turn to marriage until maturity of the elf-man (24), the elf-woman then being 21. These ages were ever after held the earliest suitable ages for marriage, though elf-women were sometimes married earlier. (As soon as they were 18 they were sought in betrothal – a period which, whenever entered, usually lasted 3 years.)[2] But marriage could take place at any time before the “waning of the hröa” – the cessation of [?sexual] desire was a mark of its approach.[3] It was, however, naturally seldom entered into after the “End of Youth” – c. age 60 (= [growth] year[s] 24 + coimendi 36 = 24 + 5,184 = c. 5,208);[fn1][4] and births after this age are seldom recorded. The later the marriage the fewer the children.

 
; In the “Early Years”, especially before the March, the Quendi tended to concentrate on the Onnalúmë, and produce their children in a (for them) quick series, and then satisfied to turn to other things. But this only happened in the days of peace and serenity.

  The first two generations of Elves in their vigour are recorded to have produced 6 children for each wedded pair.[5] In all succeeding of “Early Years” generations the average declined to 4 at 3rd gen., 2¾ at 4th gen., 1⅚ at at 5th.[6]

  The intervals between births were at all times very variable; but naturally more regular in early times and in any times of peace (as in Valinor). Even when children were produced long after maturity (quantolië) the interval was governed by growth-years or löar, since it was governed by physical recuperation ([?increasing]).

  The Quendi aver that more vigour (or as they say “of their youth”) is used in the production of a child, than is so among Men; at the same time they are far more vigorous in “youth” and especially before age 48 (3,480 years),[7] and their bodies recuperate far swifter and more completely from strains or hurt. The minimum “rest” was 3 löar (or 3 times the bearing),[8] depending chiefly on the woman: it was seldom reduced, and often much increased. In later generations it was often much lengthened – naturally in the days of war, exile, and troubles. It might be extended to 2 coimendi, or in some cases 3 or even 4.[9]

  In larger families the “interval” tended to increase after each birth. This interval was reckoned from birth to begetting of the next child.[10] In the early years the Onnalúmë, reckoned from [first] begetting to last birth, averaged at about 108 [sun-]years: 8 intervals of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 = 108; + 9 [for] gestation[s] = 117 [sun-years].[11]

  TEXT 2

  The recto of the next sheet (of unlined paper) in the first bundle begins a new text, in black ink in broader nib-pen, with one addition in green ball-point pen.

  All this business makes the “remote” legend of origins too recent. In spite of all difficulties I think the Elves must awake much longer before the Finding, and therefore their propagation should be slower, and their marriages later.

  If the Trees are destroyed in VY 888, that allows 127,872 löar for the “Bliss of Valinor”! If the Awaking were c. 800, say VY 792 (12 × 66), then 96 VY would elapse before the Death of the Trees = 13,824. But the Finding should be not till VY 864 = 72 VY [later] = 10,368 löar, leaving 24 VY for the March and the Sojourn of the Ñoldor [in Valinor] = 3,456 [sun-years].[12]

  How long before should the Quendi “awake”? Quendi awake VY 850 (löar 122,400); found VY 864 (löar 124,416). 2,016 [sun-years] elapse = 14 VY. Only 216 [sun-]years (12 × 18) or 1½ VY elapse before the March.

  The First Age begins with the Awaking and ends with the Downfall of Angband. In the Older Scheme the March is about FA 1080.[13] Here it would be about 2016 + 216 = FA 2232 (or 15½ VY after the Awaking). The Embassy set out 20 years before the Great March = 2212.[14]

  TEXT 3

  This text is a gathered series of seven generational schemes, all but the first labelled and numbered as such. The first two schemes are written in a clear hand in black ink with a narrow-nib pen (the same pen and in the same hand as that employed in text 1 above) and later pencil additions, on the back of engagement calendar pages for 2–8 and 9–15 Aug. 1959, respectively. The remaining five schemes are written in black ink with a broader nib-pen, with additions and corrections made variously in pencil and green or red ball-point pen.

  While all exhibit, in the date of the first births after each wave of weddings, a gestational period of 1 löa, and share VY 864 as date of the Awaking, these successive schemes exhibit considerable variation in the date of the beginning of the Great March, ranging from VY 878 (FA 2016) to VY 1070. This variability of course provides Tolkien with flexibility in balancing Elvish rates of increase with a desired population size at the March.

  Calculation of Quendi: Increase and Population

  at Time of Finding and March

  In the year of the Finding (FA 864) the total population of Quendi therefore was 16,280 (or less allowing for losses) of the first 5 generations. But the 6th gen. was appearing: first births FA 849 (second births FA 934, third FA 1043). We must therefore add 3,330, making a total of 19,610, or over 19,000.

  At the March the whole of the 6th gen. had appeared: add again 2 × 3,330 = 6,660, total 26,270. The 7th gen. was not due to appear until FA 1234 (= FA 849 + age of marriage 384 + 1). The 6th gen. was the end of the “Early Years”. The Age of Marriage tended thereafter to increase towards “Age 48” = 24 [sun-]years + 24 coimendi = 24 + 3,456 = 3,480 [sun-years] and often reached “[Age] 60” = 24 [sun-years] + 36 [coimendi] = 5,208 [sun-years].

  The Average of Children became 2. The percentage of non-pairs rose to 10% by degrees. But in Valinor non-pairs dropped to 1%, the average age of marriage was 36, and the average number of children 6. The Noldor thus increased greatly. But since Quendi did not bear children if possible in war and exile there were few births in Beleriand, thus the average number of children was ½ per pair, and the unwed pairs rose to 30%; so that the Eldar barely replaced losses.

  In pencil Tolkien subsequently detailed in each row the sun-years occupied by the intervals in the onnalúmë from wedding for each generation:

  0–12–24–36–48–60 [= 180]

  0–24–36–48–60–72 [= 240]

  0–48–60–72 [= 180]

  0–60–72–84 [= 216]

  0–72–96 [= 168]

  0–84–108 [= 192]

  In the year of the Finding (FA 864) the population contained all of the 5th gen. = 27,322. The four [intervals of] births of the 6th gen. occurred in FA 849, 934, 1031, and 1140. Therefore at the Finding add the first births of the 6th gen. = 6,970. Total population at the Finding (excluding losses) is 27,322 + 6,970 = 34,292. At the March the third births of the 6th gen. (FA 1031) will also have occurred, therefore add 2 × 6,970 = 13,940. Total 48,232.

  In pencil Tolkien again subsequently detailed in each row the sun-years occupied by the intervals in the onnalúmë from wedding for each generation:

  1) 0–12–24–36–48–60 [= 180]

  2) 0–24–36–48–60–72 [= 240]

  3) 0–42–54–66–78 [= 240]

  4) 0–54–66–78–90 [= 288]

  5) 0–72–84–96 [= 252]

  6) 0–84–96–108 [= 288]

  Also in pencil he subsequently added a partial row for the 7th generation in which children per pair is 3, the wedding age and date is (384) 1233, the date of first births is FA 1234, the average interval & length of the onnalúmë is 108 (219), and the year of the last births is FA 1452.

  What is now the verso of the sheet on which Scheme 3 was written contains a text that, despite being written with the same broader nib-pen as is Scheme 3, agrees with Scheme 2 against Scheme 3 in its details, and moreover specifically references “Scheme 2” in a marginal note; and so I give it here instead:

  Let Ingwë, Finwë, Elwë all be young 6th gen. Elves, but each a direct descendant (by eldest son) of Imin, Tata, and Enel [respectively]. (Divergence in dates of birth is due to intrusion of earlier-born daughters.)

  Ingwë was in the first births of the 6th gen. The earliest births of this generation were in FA 536. Let Ingwë be born in 536: 328 [sun-years old] at the Finding in FA 864, 534 at the March in FA 1070. The 6th gen. married at [sun-year age] 312. Therefore Ingwë married in FA 848 (just before the Finding). At the March he had three children, born in FA 849, 934, and 1031. The youngest was 39 at the March.

  Finwë must have been a later 6th-generation birth. Let Finwë be born in FA 772: 92 at the Finding, 298 at the March. He would have married about FA 1084. He already loved Míriel and postponed marriage till the end of the March.

  Elwë was born in FA 792: 72 at the Finding, 278 at the March. He would have been married about FA 1108, but had not yet set his heart on any spouse.

  When Oromë asked for Ambassadors, Imin, Tata, and Enel were against the whole business, and refus
ed to go. Ingwë was the eldest son of Ilion, who was in a direct line from Iminyë in the 4th generation (all having been first children and sons); sc. great-great grandson: he was tall, beautiful, beloved by the Imillië, more given to thought than the arts. His spouse was Ilwen (born FA 539). His first child was a son, Ingwil, his second a daughter Indis (born FA 934).[15]

  In addition, a small bundle of sheets placed after the seven schemes presented here, but obviously preceding scheme 3, has notes making reference and comparison to the preceding two schemes, written for the most part in the same pen and hand as those schemes, and that motivate certain features seen in the subsequent schemes, and so I give them here as well:

  With Scheme 1: Total population at the time of the March would be 26,270. If we say 26,244, allowing for losses and/or miscalculation, then: Avari were recorded as being 1/3 of total. Avari therefore 8,748, Eldar 17,496. Now, the original division was 14/144, 56/144, and 74/144.

  Imillië (Vanyar) should have 7/72, Tatalië (Ñoldor) should have 28/72, Enellië (Lindar) should have 37/72. 17,496/72 = 243 therefore Vanyar = 1,701, Ñoldor = 6,804, Lindar = 8,991; say Vanyar = 1,700, Ñoldor = 6,800, Lindar = 8,900; total = 17,400