"Yes. Neither of them did you credit. Both of them betrayed rather a
nasty cynicism in your style."
"I meant them for satire."
"Ah! there is a great difference. Cynicism recoils on the cynic; satire
is always delightful, and is never offensive. However, I may say, in
spite of their faults, if you survive the war you should become one of
America's finest writers."