All good things which exist are the fruits of originality.
—John Stuart Mill (1806–73) English Philosopher, Economist
We are obliged to regard many of our original minds as crazy at least until we have become as clever as they are.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
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
It is not easy to be a pioneer—but oh, it is fascinating! I would not trade one moment; even the worst moment, for all the riches in the world.
—Elizabeth Blackwell (1821–1910) American Physician
The merit of originality is not novelty; it is sincerity. The believing man is the original man; whatsoever he believes, he believes it for himself, not for another.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Originality is the one thing which unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of… They are more in need of originality, the less they are conscious of the want.
—John Stuart Mill (1806–73) English Philosopher, Economist
I invent nothing, I rediscover.
—Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) French Sculptor
I see nothing in it new and valuable. What is valuable is not new, and what is new is not valuable.
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852) American Statesman, Lawyer
Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist
Men of strong minds and who think for themselves, should not be discouraged on finding occasionally that some of their best ideas have been anticipated by former writers; they will neither anathematize others nor despair themselves. They will rather go on discovering things before discovered, until they are rewarded with a land hitherto unknown, an empire indisputably their own, both by right of conquest and of discovery.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
—Unknown
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
Nearly all our originality comes from the stamp that time impresses upon our sensibility.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
The originality of a subject is in its treatment.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The world in general doesn’t know what to make of originality; it is startled out of its comfortable habits of thought, and its first reaction is one of anger.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Those writers who lie on the watch for novelty can have little hope of greatness; for great things cannot have escaped former observation.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
I am not made like any of those I have seen. I venture to believe that I am not made like any of those who are in existence. If I am not better, at least I am different.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
If we can advance any propositions that are both true and new, these are indisputably our own, by right of discovery; and if we can repeat what is old more briefly and brightly than others, this also becomes our own, by right of conquest.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
It is almost impossible for any one who reads much, and reflects a, good deal, to be able, on every occasion, to determine whether a thought was another’s or his own.—I have several times quoted sentences out of my own writings, in aid of my own arguments, in conversation, thinking that I was supporting them by some better authority.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
Originality is a thing we constantly clamour for, and constantly quarrel with.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
We are all born originals—why is it so many of us die copies?
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Others can give you a name or a number, but they can never tell you who you really are. That is something you yourself can only discover from within.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
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
Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
There are no original ideas. There are only original people.
—Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002) American Journalist, Essayist, Memoirist, Travel Writer
Originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes.
—Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823–1911) American Social Reformer, Clergyman
The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter
In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
The original insight is most likely to come when elements stored in different compartments of the mind drift into the open, jostle one another, and now and then form new combinations.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail.
—Muriel Strode (1875–1964) American Author, Businesswoman
With the pride of the artist, you must blow against the walls of every power that exists the small trumpet of your defiance.
—Norman Mailer (1923–2007) American Novelist Essayist
No one can be profoundly original who does not avoid eccentricity.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
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
A man of great common sense and good taste—meaning thereby a man without originality or moral courage.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Perhaps our originality manifests itself most strikingly in what we do with that which we did not originate. To discover something wholly new can be a matter of chance, of idle tinkering, or even of the chronic dissatisfaction of the untalented.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
Everything has been said, and we have come too late, now that men have been living and thinking for seven thousand years and more.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
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
A fine invention is nothing more than a fine deviation from, or enlargement on a fine model.—Imitation, if noble and general, insures the best hope of originality.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.—The most original writers borrowed one from another. The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbor’s kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
If you would create something, you must be something.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
A society made up of individuals who were all capable of original thought would probably be unendurable.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
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
One of the best uses of originality is, to say common things in an uncommon way.
—Anonymous
It’s easier to be original and foolish than original and wise.
—Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) German Rationalist Philosopher, Mathematician
A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time. When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, The one I feed the most. On Other Peoples Expectations: The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor; he took my measurement anew every time he saw me, while all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected them to fit me.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
All cases are unique and very similar to others.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic