Из HoME 12, p. 377 и далее:
There is a small collection of very late manuscripts, preserved together,
closely similar in appearance, and all written on the blank sides of
publication notices issued by Allen and Unwin. Most of these are
copies of the same notice dated 19 January 1970 (used also by my
father for his late work on the story of Maeglin, XI.316), but one of
these writings was stated by him to be developed from a reply to a
correspondent sent on 9 December 1972, and another is dated by him
20 November 1972. ... When did Glorfindel return to Middle-earth?
This must probably have occurred before the end of the Second Age, and the
'Change of the World' and the Drowning of Numenor, after
which no living embodied creature, 'humane' or of lesser kinds,
could return from the Blessed Realm which had been 'removed
from the Circles of the World'. This was according to a general
ordinance proceeding from Eru Himself; and though, until the
end of the Third Age, when Eru decreed that the Dominion of
Men must begin, Manwe could be supposed to have received
the permission of Eru to make an exception in his case, and to
have devised some means for the transportation of Glorfindel
to Middle-earth, this is improbable and would make Glorfindel
of greater power and importance than seems fitting.
Так, что выводы про призраков не обязательны и как представляется не следуют и из работы про реинкарнацию, где вообще-то говориться что "Эльфы умирают. Они, в Амане ли, вне ли него, обратятся в феар, облачѐнные только в память до подлинного Конца Арды" - будущее время (обратятся) и описание процесса (умирают) вроде как говорят об этом.