We may affirm, then, that the main drift of the later Renaissance was away from a humanism that favored a free expansion toward a humanism that was in the highest degree disciplinary and selective.

Quote by Irving Babbitt

Topics: Irving Babbitt Quotes

Robespierre, however, was not the type of leader finally destined to emerge from the Revolution.

Robespierre, however, was not the type of leader finally destined to emerge from the Revolution.

The humanities need to be defended to-day against the encroachments of physical science, as they...

The humanities need to be defended to-day against the encroachments of physical science, as they...

An American of the present day reading his Sunday newspaper in a state of lazy...

An American of the present day reading his Sunday newspaper in a state of lazy...

If a man went simply by what he saw, he might be tempted to affirm...

If a man went simply by what he saw, he might be tempted to affirm...

If we are to have such a discipline we must have standards, and to get...

If we are to have such a discipline we must have standards, and to get...

Since every man desires happiness, it is evidently no small matter whether he conceives of...

Since every man desires happiness, it is evidently no small matter whether he conceives of...

Yet Aristotle's excellence of substance, so far from being associated with the grand style, is...

Yet Aristotle's excellence of substance, so far from being associated with the grand style, is...

The humanitarian lays stress almost solely upon breadth of knowledge and sympathy.

The humanitarian lays stress almost solely upon breadth of knowledge and sympathy.

Very few of the early Italian humanists were really humane.

Very few of the early Italian humanists were really humane.

Inasmuch as society cannot go on without discipline of some kind, men were constrained, in...

Inasmuch as society cannot go on without discipline of some kind, men were constrained, in...

To say that most of us today are purely expansive is only another way of...

To say that most of us today are purely expansive is only another way of...

The papacy again, representing the traditional unity of European civilization, has also shown itself unable...

The papacy again, representing the traditional unity of European civilization, has also shown itself unable...

A remarkable feature of the humanitarian movement, on both its sentimental and utilitarian sides, has...

A remarkable feature of the humanitarian movement, on both its sentimental and utilitarian sides, has...

The true humanist maintains a just balance between sympathy and selection.

The true humanist maintains a just balance between sympathy and selection.

The democratic idealist is prone to make light of the whole question of standards and...

The democratic idealist is prone to make light of the whole question of standards and...

A man needs to look, not down, but up to standards set so much above...

A man needs to look, not down, but up to standards set so much above...

If quantitatively the American achievement is impressive, qualitatively it is somewhat less satisfying.

If quantitatively the American achievement is impressive, qualitatively it is somewhat less satisfying.

The industrial revolution has tended to produce everywhere great urban masses that seem to be...

The industrial revolution has tended to produce everywhere great urban masses that seem to be...

Democracy is now going forth on a crusade against imperialism.

Democracy is now going forth on a crusade against imperialism.

Furthermore, America suffers not only from a lack of standards, but also not infrequently from...

Furthermore, America suffers not only from a lack of standards, but also not infrequently from...