In his introduction to [Letters on Literature and Politics] Daniel Aaron states that Wilson "professed literature." It would be as accurate to say that he spent a lifetime defending literature, at least what he saw as its true practice, against the forces he saw threatening it, and all of civilization, in the twentieth century: the social irresponsibility of the symbolists and their followers, the political dogmatism of the Marxists, the phony professionalism of the academy and collective powers of the state. To be sure, in taking on so many different foes Wilson often had to shift his footing, and if one can fault him for some rather awkward alterations in his public stance, one can never accuse him of leaving the battle.

Predictably, Wilson shows greatest confidence in the capacity of literature to penetrate and change the world in his early years, from the time of his service...