To exact of every man who writes that he should say…
“To exact of every man who writes that he should say something new, would be to reduce authors to a small number; to oblige the most fertile genius to say only what is new, would be to contract his volumes to a few pages. Yet, surely, there ought to be some bounds to repetition; libraries ought no more to be heaped for ever with the same thoughts differently expressed, than with the same books differently decorated.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Insisting on constant novelty would limit prolific writers and shrink their work, while some repetition is inevitable and useful.
In simple terms: Newness limits writers; some repetition is okay.
Key Takeaway
Balance originality with useful repetition.
Themes
creativity
originality
repetition
literature
balance
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- publishing
- academic writing
- content creation
- library curation
Key Concepts
intellectual property
cultural transmission
authorial constraints
Questions to Reflect On
- How much repetition is acceptable in scholarship?
- When does originality become a constraint?
A Different Perspective
Too strict novelty demands can stifle valuable ideas.