Imitation is the most serious form of flattery

Imitation is the most serious form of flattery

Insist on yourself; never imitate.

Insist on yourself; never imitate.

No man ever yet became great by imitation.

No man ever yet became great by imitation.

I would advise him who wishes to imitate well, to look closely
into life and manners, and thereby to read more

I would advise him who wishes to imitate well, to look closely
into life and manners, and thereby to learn to express them with
truth.
[Lat., Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo
Doctum imitatorem, et veras hinc ducere voces.]

Imitation is the sincerest flattery.

Imitation is the sincerest flattery.

I used to make original snowmen, but it was time consuming, hard work. So I said, heck, this is crazy! read more

I used to make original snowmen, but it was time consuming, hard work. So I said, heck, this is crazy! Now I crank out crude imitations of what's already popular! It takes no time or thought, and most people don't care about the difference, anyway! And what good is originality if you can't crank it out?

We are all easily taught to imitate what is base and depraved.
[Lat., Dociles imitandis
Turpibus ac read more

We are all easily taught to imitate what is base and depraved.
[Lat., Dociles imitandis
Turpibus ac pravis omnes sumus.]

Imitation, if noble and general, insures the best hope of originality.

Imitation, if noble and general, insures the best hope of originality.

He who imitates what is evil always goes beyond the example that
is set; on the contrary, he who read more

He who imitates what is evil always goes beyond the example that
is set; on the contrary, he who imitates what is good always
falls short.
[It., L'imitazione del male supera sempre l'esempio; comme per il
contrario, l'imitazione del bene e sempre inferiore.]