No writer can be fully convicted of imitation except there…
“No writer can be fully convicted of imitation except there is a concurrence of more resemblance than can be imagined to have happened by chance; as where the same ideas are conjoined without any natural series or necessary coherence, or where not only the thought but the words are copied.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Notes that true imitation is rare; similarity often indicates copying rather than coincidence.
In simple terms: Copying is different from accidental similarity.
Key Takeaway
Beware of unoriginal work.
Themes
originality
authorship
intellectual honesty
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- artistic creation
- software development
Key Concepts
plagiarism
creative process
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish influence from plagiarism?
- When is similarity acceptable?
A Different Perspective
Sometimes similar ideas arise independently.