“It is true that Poets, after having spoken of a memorable event, neglect it for a while in order to keep the reader in suspense — and in this skill we recognize also the well-planned novel.  But the theme must not be abandoned for too long, so the reader should not become lost among too many other, parallel actions.”

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More translation quibbling.  “Well-planned” is “bene inventato”, which could be “well done” or “well created” — “well-planned”, I think, implies too much.   Note also that here Weaver translates “romanzo” as “novel” rather than “romance”.