You May Also Like / View all maxioms
When Shakespeare is charges with debts to his authors, Landor
replies, "Yet he was more original than his originals. read more
When Shakespeare is charges with debts to his authors, Landor
replies, "Yet he was more original than his originals. He
breathed upon dead bodies and brought them into life."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson,
The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; read more
The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; it is no longer thyme or
marjolaine: so the pieces borrowed from others he will transform
and mix up into a work all his own.
[Fr., Les abeilles pillotent deca dela les fleurs; mais elles en
font aprez le miel, qui est tout leur; ce n'est plus thym, ny
marjolaine: ainsi les pieces empruntees d'aultruy, il les
transformera et confondra pour en faire un ouvrage tout sien.]
We can say nothing but what hath been said . . . Our poets steal
from Homer . . read more
We can say nothing but what hath been said . . . Our poets steal
from Homer . . . . Our storydressers do as much; he that comes
last is commonly best.
Perish those who said our good things before we did.
[Lat., Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerent.]
Perish those who said our good things before we did.
[Lat., Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerent.]
I recover my property wherever I find it.
[Fr., Je reprends mon bien ou je le trouve.]
I recover my property wherever I find it.
[Fr., Je reprends mon bien ou je le trouve.]
Who, to patch up his fame--or fill his purse--
Still pilfers wretched plans, and makes them worse;
read more
Who, to patch up his fame--or fill his purse--
Still pilfers wretched plans, and makes them worse;
Like gypsies, lest the stolen brat be known,
Defacing first, then claiming for his own.
Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research.
Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research.
Their writings are thoughts stolen from us by anticipation.
[Fr., Leurs ecrits sont des vois qu'ils nous ont faite read more
Their writings are thoughts stolen from us by anticipation.
[Fr., Leurs ecrits sont des vois qu'ils nous ont faite d'avance.]
Next o'er his books his eyes began to roll,
In pleasing memory of all he stole;
How read more
Next o'er his books his eyes began to roll,
In pleasing memory of all he stole;
How here he sipp'd, how there he plunder'd snug,
And suck'd all o'er like an industrious bug.