The principal mark of genius is not perfection, but originality.

The principal mark of genius is not perfection, but originality.

Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known.

Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known.

Be yourself. The world worships the original.

Be yourself. The world worships the original.

Originality is the art of concealing your sources

Originality is the art of concealing your sources

All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think read more

All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience.

What moves those of genius, what inspires their work is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that read more

What moves those of genius, what inspires their work is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough.

When people are fee to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. Originality is deliberate and forced, and read more

When people are fee to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. Originality is deliberate and forced, and partakes of the nature of a protest.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.

All profoundly original work looks ugly at first.

All profoundly original work looks ugly at first.