1. The reader deserves an honest opinion. If he doesn't deserve it give it to him anyhow.
2. No one who offers a book for sale is sacrosanct. By the act of publication and promotion, the citizen-human being forfeits his privileges as a non-competitor. Having willingly subjected himself to judgment he must accept either blame or praise as it follows. If in doubt, assume that the book is signed by Anonymous.
3. Evaluation must be by stated principle. The reviewer's opinion is only as good as his methods.
4. A review without reference to the text is worthless.
5. Quotation without analysis of the material quoted is suspect.
6. If you cannot document a charge, pro or con, do not make it.
7. Poetry is more important than any one poet. Serve poetry.
8. Limitations of space often make it difficult and sometimes impossible to apply these principles as carefully as one would wish. No space limitation, however, is reason enough for forgetting that these principles exist.
-- From
"A Reviewer's Duty to Damn."
The Saturday Review, February 16, 1957.
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