Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

Van Dyke frames “culture” not as mere accumulation of facts or fashionable taste, but as a trained disposition: the repeated practice (“habit”) of taking genuine pleasure in what is truly excellent (“the best”). The second clause—“and knowing why”—adds discernment and articulation: cultivated taste involves reasons, standards, and the ability to explain one’s judgments rather than relying on imitation or social signaling. The line implies that culture is both affective (delight) and intellectual (critical understanding), and that it is acquired through education and repeated exposure. It also suggests an ethical dimension: valuing what is best encourages higher standards in art, thought, and conduct.