What societal critic contributed to the anthology "Excursions"?
Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882) was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society, and he disseminated his thoughts through dozens of published essays and more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States.
William Dean Howells William Dean Howells ( ; March 1, 1837 – May 11, 1920) was an American realist novelist, literary critic, and playwright, nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters". He was particularly known for his tenure as editor of "The Atlantic Monthly", as well as for his own prolific writings, including the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day" and the novels "The Rise of Silas Lapham" and "A Traveler from Altruria".