Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter
Nature is commonplace. Imitation is more interesting.
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer
Man is only true to himself when he surpasses the limitations inherent in his nature.
—Arthur Koestler (1905–83) British Writer, Journalist, Political Refugee
Emulation is a noble and just passion, full of appreciation.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
An original artist is unable to copy. So he has only to copy in order to be original.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Writer, Aviator
It is by imitation, far more than by precept, that we learn everything; and what we learn thus, we acquire not only more effectually, but more pleasantly.—This forms our manners, our opinions, our lives.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Whatever is well said by another, is mine.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
I hardly know so true a mark of a little mind as the servile imitation of others.
—George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746–1816) British Nobleman, Politician
Simplicity of all things is the hardest to copy.
—Richard Steele (1672–1729) Irish Writer, Politician
We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
Imitation is a necessity of human nature.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
Each of us is in fact what he is almost exclusively by virtue of his imitativeness.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Man is an imitative creature, and whoever is foremost leads the herd.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those whom we cannot resemble.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Man’s natural character is to imitate; that of the sensitive man is to resemble as closely as possible the person whom he loves. It is only by imitating the vices of others that I have earned my misfortunes.
—Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) French Writer
He who never walks except where he sees other men’s tracks will make no discoveries.
—Unknown
It is a poor wit who lives by borrowing the words, decisions, mien, inventions, and actions of others.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
There is only one kind of love, but there are a thousand imitations.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
He who imitates evil always goes beyond the example that is set; he who imitates what is good always falls short.
—Francesco Guicciardini (1483–1540) Italian Historian, Statesman
The only good imitations are those that poke fun at bad originals.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Men are so constituted that every one undertakes what he sees another successful in, whether he has aptitude for it or not.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
To be as good as our fathers we must be better, imitation is not discipleship.
—Wendell Phillips (1811–84) American Abolitionist, Lawyer, Orator
Posterity weaves no garlands for imitators.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. Originality is deliberate and forced, and partakes of the nature of a protest
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Emulation admires and strives to imitate great actions; envy is only moved to malice.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
Imitation, if it is not forgery, is a fine thing. It stems from a generous impulse, and a realistic sense of what can and cannot be done.
—James Fenton (b.1949) English Poet, Journalist
Imitation is the sincerest form of television.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Comedian, Radio Personality
To do the opposite of something is also a form of imitation, namely an imitation of its opposite.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Imitation belittles.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
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