Matthew Arnold 
Civilization in the United States (Barnes & Noble Digital Library) [EPUB ebook] 
First and Last Impressions of America

Arnold toured America, the land where his daughter had married and settled, twice before publishing this 1888 controversial work. It sets forth Arnold’s often harsh criticisms of American civilization—or, rather, the lack thereof, for he makes no secret of finding the cultural climate of the United States backward or even primitive.

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Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) wrote “Dover Beach” (1867), one of the best-known poems in the English language. A prominent Victorian man of letters, he was appointed professor of poetry at Oxford. His writings on contemporary society, culture, and religion were instrumental in establishing criticism as an art form.