I am not eccentric. It’s just that I am more alive than most people. I am an unpopular electric eel set in a pond of goldfish.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) British Poet, Literary Critic
Don’t worry about your originality. You couldn’t get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick with you and show up for better or worse in spite of all you or anyone else can do.
—Robert Henri (1865–1929) American Painter, Teacher
Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear but forgetting where you heard it.
—Laurence J. Peter (1919–90) Canadian-born American Educator, Author
Originality exists in every individual because each of us differs from the others. We are all primary numbers divisible only by ourselves.
—Jean Guitton (1901–99) French Catholic Philosopher, Theologian
It’s easier to be original and foolish than original and wise.
—Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) German Rationalist Philosopher, Mathematician
Nature made us individuals, as she did the flowers and the pebbles; but we are afraid to be peculiar, and so our society resembles a bag of marbles, or a string of mold candles. Why should we all dress after the same fashion? The frost never paints my windows twice alike.
—Lydia Maria Child (1802–80) American Abolitionist, Writer
Nearly all our originality comes from the stamp that time impresses upon our sensibility.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
Utter originality is, of course, out of the question.
—Ezra Pound (1885-1972) American Poet, Translator, Critic
All cases are unique and very similar to others.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
True originality consists not in a new manner but in a new vision.
—Edith Wharton (1862–1937) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
When there is an original sound in the world, it makes a hundred echoes.
—John Augustus Shedd (1858–1931) American Author
Originality is merely an illusion
—M. C. Escher (1898–1972) Dutch Graphic Artist
A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates when he becomes a conformist.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The will to originality is not the will to be peculiar and unlike anybody else; it means the desire to derive one’s consciousness from its primary source.
—Nikolai Berdyaev (1874–1948) Russian Christian Philosopher, Religious Leader
In exploring new and doubtful tracts of speculation, the mind strikes out true and original views; as a drop of water hesitates at first what direction it will take, but afterwards follows its own course.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
It is a matter of perfect indifference where a thing originated; the only question is: “Is it true in and for itself?”
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) German Philosopher
People are always talking about originality; but what do they mean? As soon as we are born, the world begins to work upon us, and this goes on to the end. What can we call our own except energy, strength, and will? If I could give an account of all that I owe to great predecessors and contemporaries, there would be but a small balance left in my favor.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
What the world calls originality is only an unaccustomed method of tickling it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Those who are ambitious of originality, and aim at it, are necessarily led by others, since they seek to be different from them.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
The more intelligent one is, the more men of originality one finds. Ordinary people find no difference between men.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
If you would create something, you must be something.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
The true is inimitable, the false untransformable.
—Robert Bresson (1907–99) French Film Director
Originality is … a by-product of sincerity.
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972) American Poet
The originality of a subject is in its treatment.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Begin with another’s to end with your own.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
One couldn’t carry on life comfortably without a little blindness to the fact that everything has been said better than we can put it ourselves.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
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