The note on plagiarism reminded me of Tom Lehrer's song, Lobachevsky, which I heard on the 3rd Programme in 1957
I never forget the day I first meet the great Lobachevsky.
In one word he told me secret of success in mathematics: Plagiarize!
Plagiarize,
Let no one else's work evade your eyes,
Remember why the good Lord made your eyes,
So don't shade your eyes,
But plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize...
Only be sure always to call it please "research".
Borcherds +44 [0] 121 475 3029
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From: To exchange information and views on the life and work of Rudyard Kipling [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Roger Ayers [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 May 2013 12:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Kipling and plagiarism
Dear All,
A note in "In Brief" on page 4 of today's (May 29) Daily Telegraph draws attention to an autograph Kipling letter being offered for sale at http://www.andrusierautographs.com/product/kipling-rudyard-1865-1936 in which he tells an unidentified enquirer that he 'may have helped himself promiscuously' to bits of other peoples' stories for The Jungle Book.
The Telegraph follows up with a 2-column comment by Christopher Howse at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10084168/Plagiarism-isthe-fairy-godmother-of-invention.html
Apart from the little details Kipling gives in the letter, nothing new in this, Kipling having most cheerfully admitted in "When 'Omer smote 'is bloomin' lyre" that he 'went an' took' when he needed it and that it was no secret.
Best wishes,
Roger Ayers
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