Still less could I be afraid of those ghosts who touch my thoughts in passing. Any library is filled with them. I can take a book from dusty shelves, and be haunted by the thoughts of one long dead, still lively as ever in their winding sheet of words.
The quote reflects the idea that the written word has a unique power, allowing the thoughts and voices of long-deceased authors to continue influencing readers. These literary "ghosts," while intangible, create a profound connection across time through their works, inviting readers to engage with their ideas and emotions.
The reference to being "haunted" suggests that these encounters with literature can be both inspiring and overwhelming, as if the reader is in dialogue with the past. This relationship with books indicates that even in their physical absence, authors live on through their writings, maintaining their presence in our minds and hearts.