Talent warms-up the given (as they say in cookery) and makes it apparent; genius brings something new. But our time lets talent pass for genius. They want to abolish the genius, deify the genius, and let talent forge ahead.
Genius is talent provided with ideals. Genius starves while talent wears purple and fine linen. The man of genius of today will infifty years' time be in most cases no more than a man of talent.
The difference between talent and genius is in the direction of the current: in genius, it is from within outward; in talent from without inward.
Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is thought. Talent is a cistern, Genius a fountain.
Talent wears well, genius wears itself out; talent drives a snug brougham in fact; genius, a sun-chariot in fancy.
Disease is the tax which the soul pays for the body, as the tenant pays house-rent for the use of the house.
I think all writers have a bit of genius in them, and a bit of talent. Genius retreats but talent improves.
the distinction between talent and genius is definite. Talent combines and uses; genius combines and creates.
probably the greatest concentration of talent and genius in this house except for perhaps those times when Thomas Jefferson ate alone.
It is not because the touch of genius has roused genius to production, but because the admiration of genius has made talent ambitious, that the harvest is still so abundant.
Talent without genius isn't much, but genius without talent is nothing whatsoever.
Talk not of genius baffled. Genius is master of man. Genius does what it must, and Talent does what it can.
Making the landlord and the tenant the same person has certain advantages, as that the tenant pays no rent, while the landlord does a little work.
The nature of fashion is family. You see that at almost every house, it was owned first by a family. It wasn't owned by a bank.
Genius discovers a system; average talent stereotypes it till it is shattered by fresh genius.
I intend to work for this dance of the future. I do not know whether I have the necessary qualities; I may have neither genius nor talent nor temperament. But I know that I have a Will; and will and energy sometimes prove greater than either genius or talent or temperament.