“To tell anybody of their faults with a design that they should mend them is certainly the highest art of friendship; to tell them that others may avoid them is a just end of criticising; but to do it only to lessen one man's reputation, without any design of bettering another's, is what is properly called malice.”

Distinguishing friendly correction from criticism meant only to diminish · Letter to John Dryden, about 1691

• Criticism
• Friendship
• Honesty

“If the end of wit be not to render oneself agreeable, I shall scarce envy them any other use they can make of it.”

Setting sociability, not display, as the proper use of wit · Preface to Letters and Poems, Amorous and Gallant, 1692

• Conversation
• Courtesy
• Wit

“There ought, perhaps, to be more indulgence shown to things of love and gallantry than any others, because they are generally written when people are young, and intended for ladies who are not supposed to be very old.”

A plea for gentler judgement of verses written young, and for the young · Preface to Letters and Poems, Amorous and Gallant, 1692

• Judgement
• Love
• Youth