Skandapurana 16.2.1

16.2.1

.. ṛṣaya ūcuḥ .. ..
kathāyā lakṣaṇaṃ brūhi guṇadoṣānsavistarān ..
ārṣeyapauruṣeyāṇāṃ kāvyacihnaparīkṣaṇam ..
kathaṃ jñeyaṃ mahābuddhe śrotumicchāmahe vayam .. 1 ..

The seers said: / Declare the characteristics of a narrative, its merits and faults in detail, / and the examination of the poetic marks of sages' and human works; / how are they to be known, O highly intelligent one? We wish to hear.