A series of public addresses delivered in America after the Great War, reflecting on literature, language, and civic responsibility. The speaker praises a tradition of New England writers, stresses the English tongue as a spiritual bond between peoples, and argues that literature and upright national conduct are enduring forms of moral persuasion. He warns against materialism, crude national propaganda, and the misuse of speech, urging sobriety, honesty, and the exalted use of language as a tool for reconstruction, culture, and international understanding. The collection includes speeches to universities, clubs, and civic groups, combining literary criticism with practical counsel for postwar renewal.