Blame where you must, be candid where you can,
And be each critic the Good-natured Man.

Blame where you must, be candid where you can,
And be each critic the Good-natured Man.

Who shall dispute what the Reviewers say?
Their word's sufficient; and to ask a reason,
In such read more

Who shall dispute what the Reviewers say?
Their word's sufficient; and to ask a reason,
In such a state as theirs, is downright treason.

Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

You know who critics are?--the men who have failed in literature
and art.

You know who critics are?--the men who have failed in literature
and art.

"I'm an owl: you're another. Sir Critic, good day." And the
barber kept on shaving.

"I'm an owl: you're another. Sir Critic, good day." And the
barber kept on shaving.

Each generation produces its squad of "moderns" with peashooters to attack Gibraltar.

Each generation produces its squad of "moderns" with peashooters to attack Gibraltar.

Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.

Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.

All who (like him) have writ ill plays before,
For they, like thieves, condemned, are hangman made,
read more

All who (like him) have writ ill plays before,
For they, like thieves, condemned, are hangman made,
To execute the members of their trade.

Reviewers are usually people who would have been poets,
historians, biographers, etc., if they could: they have tried
read more

Reviewers are usually people who would have been poets,
historians, biographers, etc., if they could: they have tried
their talents at one or the other, and have failed; therefore
they turn critics.