Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think the thing that makes it so truly rare, even in history is that very few people can resist getting even some recognition for their work. At the very least, most authors have a handful of literary minded friends they discuss their ideas and the machanical aspects of their writing with. It's just incredibly hard for most people to never breathe a word of something that eats up so much of their mind like writing…
Did you read “Crime and punishment” by Dostoevsky? It’s about this very thing. What is crime without attribution - of success as much as of guilt...?
I haven't but I've recently revived my interest in 19th century literature and will move this up my reading list.