Sinclair Lewis

Babbitt's virtues as a real-estate broker - as the servant of society in the department of finding homes for families and shops for distributors of food - were stadiness and diligence. He was conventionnally honest, he kept his records of buyers and sellers complete, he had experience with leases and titles and an excellent memory for prices. His shoulders were broad enough, his voice deep enough, his relish of hearty humor strong enough, to establish him as one of the ruling caste of Good Fellows.