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.]
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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.
The Plagiarism of orators is the art, or an ingenious and easy
mode, which some adroitly employ to change, read more
The Plagiarism of orators is the art, or an ingenious and easy
mode, which some adroitly employ to change, or disguise, all
sorts of speeches or their own composition, or that of other
authors, for their pleasure, or their utility; in such a manner
that it becomes impossible even for the author himself to
recognize his own work, his own genius, and his own style, so
skillfully shall the whole be disguised.
- Isaac D'Israeli,
My books need no one to accuse or judge you: the page which is
yours stands up against you read more
My books need no one to accuse or judge you: the page which is
yours stands up against you and says, "You are a thief."
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.
Steal!--to be sure they may; and egad, serve your best thoughts
as gypsies do stolen children, disfigure them to read more
Steal!--to be sure they may; and egad, serve your best thoughts
as gypsies do stolen children, disfigure them to make 'em pass
for their own.
To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic
To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic
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.
Because they commonly make use of treasure found in books, as of
other treasure belonging to the dead and read more
Because they commonly make use of treasure found in books, as of
other treasure belonging to the dead and hidden underground; for
they dispose of both with great secrecy, defacing the shape and
image of the one as much as of the other.
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,
