"Poets, like friends to whom you are in debt, you hate"

In this quote, William Wycherley compares poets to friends who you owe a financial obligation to. He suggests that, just like how you may frown at a friend who continuously advises you of a favor they provided for you, you may also feel bitter a poet who constantly advises you of their talent and the appeal of their words. This might be analyzed as a commentary on the jealousy and bitterness that can arise in relationships, whether it be between friends or between artists. It also highlights the idea that in some cases, the people we owe the most to are the ones we may covertly do not like.