Cynical axiom vs. Gertrude Stein aphorism

With Cynthia's help I managed to write a letter to an old friend who wanted my reaction to something that she had written. Trying to set aside the axiom ``the truth always hurts'' I think I managed to stay close to Gertrude Stein's aphorism ``artists don't need criticism, they need praise.''

For 40 years I made my living as a theater critic for newspapers. The task was (almost) always an exercise in detachment. With an eye to the Hippocratic dictum ``do no harm,'' I tried to say how I truly reacted to anything and everything ranging from The World's Most Produced Play (Shakespeare's ``Romeo and Juliet'') and The World's Most Famous Play (Shakespeare's ``Hamlet'') to works by The World's Richest Playwright (Neil Simon of -- oh no, not again -- ``The Odd Couple'' fame.) But now and then -- mostly then, but occasionally now -- a friend will show me something that they have written. The want to know my honest opinion, what I really think. As a professional critic I would read these works with profound reservations and respond with even profounder reservations. The issue for the playwright, usually not stated, was ``why can I not get this thing produced? why all the rejections?'' The answers to these questions are generally obvious: weak characters, weak story, weak style. But a friend is a friend. What to do? Tell the truth? 20 years ago a vague friend became a definite former friend as a result of my following that precept.

Works by strangers, if reviewed negatively, can elicit strange but easily understood reactions. I didn't like their play because I hate my mother -- that much is obvious. Or I didn't like their play because I have a sick adoration of my mother -- that much is obvious. What the heck. They are entitled to their opinion if I'm entitled to mine.

But then there are the non-strangers, the friends who I don't want to hurt much less turn into former friends. In this most recent instance I managed, with Cynthia's help, to find things that I liked. Conscientious research into antiques valued by wealthy people in 1950s New England for example. And I managed to chat and reminisce. 

It's not fun. I hope I brought it off. But to cite still another precept ``no one said it would be easy.''