"Great genius takes shape by contact with another great genius, but, less by assimilation than by fiction"

Heinrich Heine's quote suggests that terrific genius is not developed in a vacuum, but rather through contact with other great minds. He suggests that this contact is not necessarily through assimilation, or the absorption of ideas, but rather through the production of something new. Heine implies that excellent genius is not just a product of imitation, however rather an item of creative cooperation. He suggests that when two terrific minds come together, they can create something that is higher than the amount of its parts. Heine's quote encourages us to look for cooperation with others in order to produce something genuinely unique and special. By collaborating, we can create something that is greater than what we could have accomplished alone.