The literary achievements of earlier writers may rightly deserve high esteem. Yet a work is not excellent merely because it is old, and a new composition is not excellent merely because it is new. Quality must be examined directly.
Weak criterionStronger criterionOld therefore superiorExamine meaning, style, and impactModern therefore inferiorRead the actual compositionA famous name settles itCite a passage and analyze its merits
The conflict in Marāghah is about how to compare eras fairly. The elder is about to shift the argument from generalized judgments to the claim that a living writer can demonstrate high craftsmanship.