The greatness of art is not to find what is common but what is unique.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) Polish-born American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
When a work appears to be ahead of its time, it is only the time that is behind the work.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
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
He who thinks for himself, and rarely imitates, is a free man.
—Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724–1803) German Poet
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
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
Nothing else so destroys the power to stand alone as the habit of leaning upon others. If you lean, you will never be strong or original. Stand alone or bury your ambition to be somebody in the world.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
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
Nearly all our originality comes from the stamp that time impresses upon our sensibility.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Originality is merely an illusion
—M. C. Escher (1898–1972) Dutch Graphic Artist
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
A man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Many a man fails as an original thinker simply because his memory is too good.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
What the world calls originality is only an unaccustomed method of tickling it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
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
No one can be profoundly original who does not avoid eccentricity.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
Originality is the art of concealing your source.
—Franklin P. Jones
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
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
I found you essay to be good and original. However, the part that was original was not good and the part that was good was not original.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
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
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
He never chooses an opinion; he just wears whatever happens to be in style.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
A well cultivated mind is made up of all the minds of preceding ages; it is only the one single mind educated by all previous time.
—Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657–1757) French Essayist, Polymath, Philosopher
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.
—J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) British Scholar, Author
The will to originality is not the will to be peculiar and unlike anybody else; it means the desire to derive one’s consciousness from its primary source.
—Nikolai Berdyaev (1874–1948) Russian Christian Philosopher, Religious Leader
All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
An original writer is not one who imitates nobody, but one whom nobody can imitate.
—Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand (1768–1848) French Writer, Academician, Statesman
True originality consists not in a new manner but in a new vision.
—Edith Wharton (1862–1937) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
Those who are ambitious of originality, and aim at it, are necessarily led by others, since they seek to be different from them.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
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
I am not eccentric. It’s just that I am more alive than most people. I am an unpopular electric eel set in a pond of goldfish.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) British Poet, Literary Critic
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 great idea is usually original to more than one discoverer. Great ideas come when the world needs them. They surround the world’s ignorance and press for admission.
—Austin Phelps (1820–90) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Educator, Theologian
The original is unfaithful to the translation.
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) Argentine Writer, Essayist, Poet
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
Don’t worry about your originality. You couldn’t get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick with you and show up for better or worse in spite of all you or anyone else can do.
—Robert Henri (1865–1929) American Painter, Teacher
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
We are all born originals—why is it so many of us die copies?
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
—Herman Melville (1819–91) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Poet
It gives me great pleasure indeed to see the stubbornness of an incorrigible nonconformist warmly acclaimed.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
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
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
There are no original ideas. There are only original people.
—Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002) American Journalist, Essayist, Memoirist, Travel Writer
The true is inimitable, the false untransformable.
—Robert Bresson (1907–99) French Film Director
If you would create something, you must be something.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
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