"Every writer is surprised anew when a book, as soon as it has been separated from him, begins to take on a life of its own ... it goes about finding its readers, kindles life, pleases, horrifies, fathers new works, becomes the soul of others' resolutions and behaviour. In short, it lives like a being fitted out with a mind and soul—yet it is nevertheless not human."

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Added on April 10, 2026
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Original Language: English

Sources

Aphorism 208

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Human%2C_All_Too_Human