--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To exact of every man who writes that he…" description: "\"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 s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/samuel-johnson-50_book_to-exact-of-every-man-who-writes-that-he_822885.jpg" --- # 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…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/samuel-johnson-50_book_to-exact-of-every-man-who-writes-that-he_822885.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/samuel-johnson-50_book_to-exact-of-every-man-who-writes-that-he_822885.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/samuel-johnson-50_book_to-exact-of-every-man-who-writes-that-he_822885.jpg) > “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.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authors Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors-small-488452/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Contracts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contracts/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Fertile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fertile/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Man Writes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-writes-271993/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Originality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originality/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pages/) [Reduce Authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduce-authors-488453/) [Repetition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repetition/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Small numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-numbers/) [Something new](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-new/) [Volume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volume/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Writes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writes/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Never trust a man who writes more than he reads.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/never-trust-a-man-who-writes-more-than-he-reads/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all people and about all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-man-who-writes-about-himself-and-his-own-time-is-the-only-man-who-2/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The man who writes for hire has an obligation, if only to himself, to keep an open mind and to absorb new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/the-man-who-writes-for-hire-has-an-obligation-if-only-to-himself-to/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [“A child has no need to write, he is innocent. 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S. Forester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-forester/) > [Nothing a man writes can please him as profoundly as something he does with his back, shoulders and hands. For writing is an artificial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-atkinson/nothing-a-man-writes-can-please-him-as-profoundly-as-something-he/) [Brooks Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-atkinson/) > [Everything a man writes about himself is instructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glassco/everything-a-man-writes-about-himself-is-instructive/) [John Glassco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glassco/) > [It is not difficult to conceive, however, that for many reasons a man writes much better than he lives. For without entering into refined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-not-difficult-to-conceive-however-that-for-many-reasons-a-man/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“A man who writes a book, thinks himself wiser or wittier than the rest of mankind; he supposes that he can instruct or amuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-man-who-writes-a-book-thinks-himself-wiser-or-wittier-than-the-rest/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The gratification which affluence of wealth, extent of power, and eminence of reputation confer, must be always, by their own nature, confined to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-gratification-which-affluence-of-wealth-extent-of-power-and/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Many causes may vitiate a writer's judgement of his own works. On that which has cost him much labour he sets a high value,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/many-causes-may-vitiate-a-writer-s-judgement-of-his-own-works-on-that/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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