«THE SUPPOSITION THAT THE BOOK OF AN AUTHOR IS A THING APART FROM THE AUTHOR’S SELF, IS, I THINK, ILL-FOUNDED. THE SOUL IS A CIPHER, IN THE SENSE OF A CRYPTOGRAPH; AND THE SHORTER A CRYPTOGRAPH IS, THE MORE DIFFICULTY THERE IS IN ITS COMPREHENSION — AT A CERTAIN POINT OF BREVITY IT WOULD BID DEFIANCE TO AN ARMY OF CHAMPOLLIONS.»

EDGAR A. POE.