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To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic
To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic
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.
With him most authors steal their works, or buy;
Garth did not write his own Dispensary.
With him most authors steal their works, or buy;
Garth did not write his own Dispensary.
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.
He that readeth good writers and pickes out their flowres for his
own nose, is lyke a foole.
He that readeth good writers and pickes out their flowres for his
own nose, is lyke a foole.
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.
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.
They had their lean books with the fat of others' works.
They had their lean books with the fat of others' works.
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.]
