The question I propose to consider is in what way one may justify the study of English on cultural and disciplinary, and not merely on sentimental or… - Irving Babbitt

The complaint is often heard at present that there is an increasing exodus from the difficult and disciplinary subjects and a rush into the soft subjects. One good sign is that those who stand for the difficult and disciplinary subjects, e.g., the professors of physics and the professors of the ancient classics, are coming more and more to see that they must co-operate and not work at cross-purposes, as they have done only too often in the past, if they are to make head against the drift toward softness.

When the element of conversion with reference to a standard is eliminated from life, what remains is the irresponsible quest for thrills.

When we consider carefully what many of our so-called humanists stand for, we find that they are not humanists but humanitarians.