What rules for critics does An Essay on Criticism present?

In An Essay on Criticism, Alexander Pope presents a Neoclassical framework for literary judgment, emphasizing that good taste is rooted in Nature and that critics should adhere to the classical rules established by ancient writers.1

The poem’s rules and principles for critics include:

• Adherence to Tradition: Critics are encouraged to imitate the established rules of classical antiquity.1
• Harmony of Form and Content: Pope argues that the sound and meter of a poem should reflect its subject matter, a concept he illustrates through the use of onomatopoeia.1
• Intellectual Humility: The work warns against the dangers of superficial knowledge, famously noting that "a little learning is a dang’rous thing".1
• Balanced Judgment: Pope advocates for a measured approach to criticism, acknowledging human fallibility with the maxim "To err is human; to forgive, divine".1
• Prudence: He cautions against reckless or arrogant critique, famously stating, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread".1

The poem serves as a compendium of these maxims, blending ambitious argument with stylistic precision to define the characteristics of an ideal critic.1