"Although a madman, Norton wrote letters to Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria which they took seriously"

This quote by Kerry Thornley speaks to the power of the written word, even when coming from an unlikely source. Norton was a madman, yet his letters to Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria were taken seriously. This suggests that the composed word can be a powerful tool, even when originating from someone who is not taken seriously in other elements of life. It also talks to the regard that Lincoln and Victoria had actually for the written word, as they wanted to make the effort to check out and think about the letters of a madman. This quote is a suggestion that words can have an effective effect, no matter who is speaking them.