“It is the philosophy of the poet,” he replied.
“Isn’t it rather beyond the public? Will they understand?”
“The public won’t hear that; it is only for you and me. There are many things we do not tell the public because they are the public; but we understand because we are artists.”
“Very well. And then if we have a poet we must have a critic—won’t this one do? he has a book; perhaps he is going to review it, or perhaps it is his encyclopædia to save him from making mistakes.”
“If you like, he shall be the critic; only then you ought to tell me what he is saying.”
“He is saying: ‘I despise everything because it is not something else.’“
“Bravo, bravo! That is better than what the poet said.”
“O my dear Buffo, I am not going to admit that. Besides, it is not true of all critics.”
“What I said is not true of all poets.”
“Well, if we don’t like what we have made them say, let us have someone to follow and show them where they are both wrong.”