The Word-in-Itself

"In the long history of mental development the Word-in-Itself has played manifold parts. The Word has summoned spirits from the shadows or held demons in awe. The Word has been a sacred symbol graven upon the walls of the temple or worn in gold upon the forehead of the initiate. The secret word of Magic has opened treasuries, destroyed kingdoms, made a man of god. The long tale of incantation by means of the Word is not ours to tell; except in so far as the poet and the maker of stories learns too the ancient trick of incantation whereby he liberates imprisoned spirits and through a delicate hocus-pocus opens up charmed realms of fantasy."
—June Etta Downey, Creative Imagination: Studies in the Psychology of Literature, 1999

---

In other news, don't miss our guest blog about magic words at Neatorama.