Quotation by

James Merrill

And, as I have said, it's made me think twice about the imagination. If the spirits aren't external, how astonishing the mediums become! Victor Hugo said of his voices that they were like his own mental powers multiplied by five.

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Understanding this quote AI Analysis

The author is reconsidering the idea that spirits might not be separate beings but rather a product of the mind, which makes the abilities of mediums even more remarkable. By referencing Victor Hugo, he suggests that these voices or spirits could be an amplified form of one's own mental creativity or inner thoughts.

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Imagination is not something apart and hermetic, not a way of leaving reality behind it is a way of engaging reality.

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One lifetime is never enough to accomplish one's horticultural goals. If a garden is a site for the imagination, how can we be very far from the beginning?