A man must serve his time to every trade
Save censure--critics all are ready made.
Take hackney'd read more

A man must serve his time to every trade
Save censure--critics all are ready made.
Take hackney'd jokes from Miller, got by rote,
With just enough of learning to misquote;
A mind well skill'd to find or forge a fault;
A turn for punning, call it Attic salt;
To Jeffrey go, be silent and discreet,
His pay is just ten sterling pounds per sheet;
Fear not to lie, 'twill seem a lucky hit;
Shrink not from blasphemy, 'twill pass for wit;
Care not for feeling--pass your proper jest,
And stand a critic, hated yet caress'd.

The rule in carving holds good as to criticism; never cut with a knife what you can cut with a read more

The rule in carving holds good as to criticism; never cut with a knife what you can cut with a spoon.

A servile race
Who, in mere want of fault, all merit place;
Who blind obedience pay to read more

A servile race
Who, in mere want of fault, all merit place;
Who blind obedience pay to ancient schools,
Bigots to Greece, and slaves to musty rules.

Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors.

Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors.

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

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

He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help.

He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help.

Blame is safer than praise.

Blame is safer than praise.

The strength of criticism lies in the weakness of the thing criticized.

The strength of criticism lies in the weakness of the thing criticized.

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.