The Road goes ever on and on

My favorite part of Oxford was the Eagle and Child Pub. This was the meeting place for the inklings.

The Inklings was an Oxford writers' group which included C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams and Hugo Dyson. From late 1933, they met on Thursday evenings where they would read and discuss various material, including their unfinished manuscripts. These meetings were accompanied with more informal lunchtime gatherings at various Oxford pubs which coalesced into a regular meeting held on Mondays or Tuesday lunchtimes at the Eagle and Child, in a private lounge at the back of the pub known as the 'Rabbit Room'. It was at one of those meetings in June 1950 that C.S. Lewis distributed the proofs for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

We enjoyed some time in this wonderful building! It was amazing to be somewhere that such beautiful literary minds had met and discussed. In honor of this, our fearless leader, Tim, read to us the lyrics from one of Tolkien's songs.

In western lands

Beneath the sun

The flowers may rise in Spring,

The trees may bud,

The waters run,

The merry finches sing.

Or there may be tis cloudless night

And swaying beeches bear

The Elven stars as jewels white

Amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie

In darkness buried deep,

Beyond all towers strong and high,

Beyond all mountains steep,

Above all shadows rides the Sun

And Stars for ever dwell.

I will not say the Day is done,

Nor bid the Stars farewell.

I will not say the Day is done,

Nor bid the Stars farewell.

I will not say the Day is done,

Nor bid the Stars farewell.