The original writer is not one who imitates nobody, but one whom nobody can imitate.

Chateaubriand draws a sharp distinction between mere novelty and true originality. An “original writer” is not defined by having no influences—an impossible standard in any literary tradition—but by producing work so singular in voice, sensibility, and execution that it resists replication. The remark also implies a critique of literary fashion: writers may avoid obvious imitation yet still remain derivative if their effects can be readily reproduced. In this view, originality is measured retrospectively, by the inability of later writers to copy the essential quality of the work without it becoming pale pastiche. It elevates style and inner vision over surface innovation.