Which rules for fiction did Henry James reject in The Art of Fiction?

In his 1884 essay The Art of Fiction, Henry James challenged several prescriptive rules for novelists proposed by Sir Walter Besant. James rejected the following notions:

• The primacy of plot: He disagreed with the idea that plot is more important than characterization.1
• Mandatory moral purpose: He rejected the requirement that fiction must be written with a "conscious moral purpose".1
• The hierarchy of creative tools: He argued against the claim that direct experience and observation are inherently superior to imagination as tools for the writer.1

By refuting these restrictive rules, James advocated for a more nuanced approach to the craft, asserting that a high-quality novel requires a deep, sophisticated mind rather than adherence to rigid formulas.1