Between Classic And Modern

Irving Babbitt is the founder of New Humanism. He inherited the fine tradition of western humanism, believed in ideas as well as individual perfection, and emphasized the integrity of positivism in response to the trend of the times. Babbitt’s thought starting from the reflection on modern civilization, and found its origin from the mixed ideological trends, like naturalism, humanitarianism, scientism, and romanticism. It caused the loss of standard, the sheer sensationalism, no distinction between law for man and law for thing, imbalance between "the one" and "the many". Babbitt believed that humanity is "a civil war in the cave". In order to keep a balance, we must adhere to dualism and inner check.Babbitt’s literary criticism is a kind of social and cultural criticism, forming on the basis of his humanism thought. He suggested that the main problem was to set a standard to rectify capricious individual standards. He appreciated critics who have a sense of balance, such as Sainte-Beuve. In his criticism of Sainte-Beuve, we are able to reach a panoramic understanding of his literary criticism.