---
title: "1 Despair Despair Quotes By J. R. R. Tolkien"
description: "1 Despair Despair quotes by J. R. R. Tolkien. Plus more from J. R. R. Tolkien and more Despair Despair sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_despair_despair-or-folly-said-gandalf-it-is-not_1516072.png"
---

> [“Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/despair-or-folly-said-gandalf-it-is-not-despair-for-despair-is-only/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_despair_despair-or-folly-said-gandalf-it-is-not_1516072.png)

## More by J. R. R. Tolkien

> [I never liked Hans Christian Andersen because I knew he was always getting at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-never-liked-hans-christian-andersen-because-i-knew-he-was-always/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/no-half-heartedness-and-no-worldly-fear-must-turn-us-aside-from/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. Not all those who wander are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-ll-wind-up-somewhere-else/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-enemy-his-sense-of-duty-was-no-less-than-yours-i-deem-you-wonder/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/it-was-a-hobbit-hole-and-that-means-comfort/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [Adventures make one late for supper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/adventures-make-one-late-for-supper/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-lord-of-the-rings-is-of-course-a-fundamentally-religious-and/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [I have no help to send, therefore I must go myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-have-no-help-to-send-therefore-i-must-go-myself/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [Many are the strange chances of the world, and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/many-are-the-strange-chances-of-the-world-and-help-oft-shall-come/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [Mind your P's and Q's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/mind-your-p-s-and-q-s/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map; otherwise you'll never make a map of it afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-re-going-to-have-a-complicated-story-you-must-work-to-a-map/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/outside-the-ring-of-dancing-warriors-with-spears-and-axes-stood/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [You have to understand the good in things, to detect the real evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/you-have-to-understand-the-good-in-things-to-detect-the-real-evil/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [The mind that thought of light, heavy, grey, yellow, still, swift, also conceived of magic that would make heavy things light and able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-mind-that-thought-of-light-heavy-grey-yellow-still-swift-also/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

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