No man ever yet became great by imitation.

No man ever yet became great by imitation.

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

Imitation, if noble and general, insures the best hope of originality.

Imitation, if noble and general, insures the best hope of originality.

Imitation is the sincerest form of television.

Imitation is the sincerest form of television.

Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.

Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.

I used to make original snowmen, but it was time consuming, hard work. So I said, heck, this is crazy! read more

I used to make original snowmen, but it was time consuming, hard work. So I said, heck, this is crazy! Now I crank out crude imitations of what's already popular! It takes no time or thought, and most people don't care about the difference, anyway! And what good is originality if you can't crank it out?

He who studies to imitate the poet Pindar, O Julius, relies on
artificial wings fastened on with wax, and read more

He who studies to imitate the poet Pindar, O Julius, relies on
artificial wings fastened on with wax, and is sure to give his
name to a glassy sea.
[Lat., Pindarum quisquis studet aemulari,
Iule ceratis ope Daedalea
Nititur pennis, vitreo daturus
Nomina ponto.]

Imitators are a slavish herd and fools in my opinion.
[Fr., C'est un betail servile et sot a mon read more

Imitators are a slavish herd and fools in my opinion.
[Fr., C'est un betail servile et sot a mon avis
Que les imitateurs.]

One who imitates what is bad always goes beyond his model; while one who imitates what is good always comes read more

One who imitates what is bad always goes beyond his model; while one who imitates what is good always comes up short of it.