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

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

Posterity weaves no garlands for imitators.

Posterity weaves no garlands for imitators.

Paradoxically though it may seem, it is none the less true that
life imitates art far more than art read more

Paradoxically though it may seem, it is none the less true that
life imitates art far more than art imitates life.

I would advise him who wishes to imitate well, to look closely
into life and manners, and thereby to read more

I would advise him who wishes to imitate well, to look closely
into life and manners, and thereby to learn to express them with
truth.
[Lat., Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo
Doctum imitatorem, et veras hinc ducere voces.]

Insist on yourself; never imitate.

Insist on yourself; never imitate.

No man ever yet became great by imitation.

No man ever yet became great by imitation.

Imitation is the sincerest form of television.

Imitation is the sincerest form of television.

An imitative creature is man; whoever is foremost, leads the
herd.
[Ger., Der Mensch ist ein nachahmendes Geschopf.
read more

An imitative creature is man; whoever is foremost, leads the
herd.
[Ger., Der Mensch ist ein nachahmendes Geschopf.
Und wer Vorderste ist, fuhrt die Heerde.]

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?