Irving Babbitt

Irving Babbitt
Born(1865-08-02)August 2, 1865
Dayton, Ohio
DiedJuly 15, 1933(1933-07-15) (aged 67)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
EducationHarvard College
Occupation(s)Academic, literary critic
Spouse
Dora May Drew
(m. 1900)
Children2

Irving Babbitt (August 2, 1865 – July 15, 1933) was an American academic and literary critic, noted for his founding role in a movement that became known as the New Humanism, a significant influence on literary discussion and conservative thought in the period between 1910 and 1930. He was a cultural critic in the tradition of Matthew Arnold and a consistent opponent of romanticism, as represented by the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Politically he can, without serious distortion, be called a follower of Aristotle and Edmund Burke. He was an advocate of classical humanism but also offered an ecumenical defense of religion. His humanism implied a broad knowledge of various moral and religious traditions. His book Democracy and Leadership (1924) is regarded as a classic text of political conservatism. Babbitt is regarded as a major influence over American cultural and political conservatism.[1]

  1. ^ Robert Muccigrosso, ed., Research Guide to American Historical Biography (1988) 1:80- 85

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