A series of essays examines the nature and practice of theatrical criticism, defining criticism as an art that reduces and interprets the magnifications of drama. It contrasts art's exaggeration with criticism's pursuit of truth, surveys the role of theatre and acting, and outlines standards for aesthetic judgment. The author analyzes critical temperament, the faults of contagious or overly reserved criticism, and the particular character of drama criticism in America, arguing for informed, candid, and muscular evaluation that illuminates art without surrendering its own voice.