For me it is only 3 years ago that I have read LotR for the first time - and I
did read the foreword first. Like Firefoot, it made me feel intrigued and curious, but also rather mystified. Only
after I had read the books (and reread the foreword) could I really understand what Tolkien was alluding to in the foreword. (I think this is generally often so. Why are forewords even called so and stand at the beginning? Mostly they deal with things which one can only appreciate fully after having read the book!)
And I thought it strange that Tolkien stated flatly that the book had "no inner meaning". For me it seemed full of meaning and timeless wisdom, even though I neither could nor wanted to analyze this. ( I remember that I used to hate it when when we had to analyze literature at school and "dig out" ulteriour meanings ..)
After having read "on Fairy-stories" , Tolkien's biography and his letters (and countless wise threads here in the BD) I think I understand better what motivated Tolkien.
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... if saying such things did not spoil what it tries to make explicit,
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That's exactly the point. And I agree fully with your opinion, Bethberry.