No publisher should ever express an opinion on the value of what he publishes. That is a matter entirely for the literary critic to decide. I can quite understand how any ordinary critic would be strongly prejudiced against a work that was accompanied by a premature and unnecessary panegyric from the publisher. A publisher is simply a useful middle-man. It is not for him to anticipate the verdict of criticism.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the importance of neutrality and objectivity in the publishing industry. It argues that publishers should refrain from expressing their own opinions or promoting works excessively, as their role is to act as intermediaries between authors and readers. Instead, the quote suggests that the evaluation of a piece of literature should be left to the literary critic, who should provide an unbiased and expert analysis. By avoiding premature and biased assessments, the quote highlights the need for critics to have the freedom to make their own judgements, independently from the publishers' influence.

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