Book Quote by Samuel Johnson
“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
Source Essay: The Idler, 1759
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.
