Quotation by

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine nature accurately, but write from recollection, and trust more to the imagination than the memory.

Imagination

Understanding this quote AI Analysis

Coleridge is saying that a poet should not simply copy nature without adding anything new, but instead use what they observe to create something original that enriches the source. He advises poets to study nature carefully but rely more on their creative imagination than just recalling facts exactly as they are.

More by this author

All quotes by Samuel Taylor Coleridge →

More quotes about Imagination

See all →

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you…

Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.

I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation and is but a reflection of human frailty.

Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night.