Shelburne Essays

Shelburne Essays is a well-known collection of essays by American scholar and critic Paul Elmer More. Published in 11 volumes between 1904 and 1921, most of these essays had previously appeared in periodicals like The Nation.1

More was a prominent figure in the New Humanism movement, which emphasized traditional critical standards and classical restraint in literature. This approach contrasted with the naturalist writers of the time who focused on social issues. More, along with other New Humanists like Irving Babbitt, advocated for a moral and ethical understanding of human nature, asserting that the human will is essentially free. Their conservative stance drew criticism, notably from H.L. Mencken.123