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Over and over again, the author uses "should" where "would" would be right:

I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

I should like to know where it is, if you go wandering again.

‘I should not make use of it, if I were you. But keep it secret, and keep it safe!

Maybe Mr. Baggins has an honest reason for leaving his name behind; but if so, I should advise him and his friends to be more careful.’

Above are just a few examples out of many, many similar instances where it seems like "would" is the right word rather than "should". Of course I didn't find the best examples because I was searching for them, but believe me: there are even less ambiguous cases in there!

Is this supposed to be how people used to talk? Like "ere" is used instead of "before" in many cases? It frustrates me a lot because "should" and "would" have quite different meanings, at least today.

Cortes K.
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    I can't tell you why, as that's down to the author, but if you look at should in Lexico, especially definitions 6, 7, and also the usage note that should clear things up. – Matt E. Эллен Apr 09 '22 at 23:05
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    Should and would used to be used quite differently than they are today. And Tolkien is deliberately using somewhat archaic language. Consider these snippets "I followed on my way hither" and "nigh to the sea." People don't use hither and nigh often today, and I don't believe they used them that much when Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings. See Ngrams. – Peter Shor Apr 10 '22 at 00:04
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    He's also using U language throughout. Should was more common among upperclass and academics. – John Lawler Apr 10 '22 at 01:00
  • I'm neither upper class nor especially academic (retired librarian), but I should like to seems quite normal to me. – Kate Bunting Apr 10 '22 at 07:21

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