We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library
filled with books in many different read more

We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library
filled with books in many different languages. The child knows
someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It
does not understand the languages in which they are they are they
are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the
arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it
seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent being
toward God.

For such kind of borrowing as this, if it be not bettered by the
borrower, among good authors is read more

For such kind of borrowing as this, if it be not bettered by the
borrower, among good authors is accounted plagiary.

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.

Take the whole range of imaginative literature, and we are all
wholesale borrowers. In every matter that relates to read more

Take the whole range of imaginative literature, and we are all
wholesale borrowers. In every matter that relates to invention,
to use, or beauty or form, we are borrowers.

It has come to be practically a sort of rule in literature, that
a man, having once shown himself read more

It has come to be practically a sort of rule in literature, that
a man, having once shown himself capable of original writing, is
entitled thenceforth to steal from the writings of others at
discretion.

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.

Amongst so many borrowed things, am glad if I can steal one,
disguising and altering it for some new read more

Amongst so many borrowed things, am glad if I can steal one,
disguising and altering it for some new service.

The trouble with research is that it tells you what people were thinking about yesterday, not tomorrow. It's like driving read more

The trouble with research is that it tells you what people were thinking about yesterday, not tomorrow. It's like driving a car using a rearview mirror.

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.