Chance Quote by Samuel Johnson
“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
Source Essay: The Rambler, 1750
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.
