H. L. Mencken ✓

(1880–1956) autobiographer United States

641 quotes in 6164 categories

[Wikidata] American journalist and writer (1880–1956)... | [Wikipedia] Henry Louis Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. His satirical reporting on the Scopes Trial, which he dubbed the "Monkey Trial", also ear

Best H. L. Mencken Quotations

• Two simple principles lie at the bottom of the whole matter, and they may be precipitated into two rules. The first is that, when there… Any
• How to Drink Like a Gentleman: The Things to Do and the Things Not To, as Learned in 30 Years' Extensive Research. Drink
• The martini: the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet. American
• There are two impossibilities in life: "just one drink" and "an honest politician." Drink
• The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business… Advance
• Sin is a dangerous toy in the hands of the virtuous. It should be left to the congenitally sinful, who know when to play with… Alone
• The typical American of today has lost all the love of liberty, that his forefathers had, and all their disgust of emotion, and pride in… Agents
• It takes a long while for a naturally trustful person to reconcile himself to the idea that after all God will not help him All
• A man's women folk, whatever their outward show of respect for his merit and authority, always regard him secretly as an ass, and with something… Actual
• Liberty is not for these slaves; I do not advocate inflicting it against their conscience. On the contrary, I am strongly in favor of letting… Advocate
• The longest sentence you can form with two words is: I do. Couple
• It is impossible to think of a man of any actual force and originality, universally recognized as having those qualities, who spent his whole life… Actual
• The way to deal with superstition is not to be polite to it, but to tackle it with all arms, and so rout it, cripple… All
• The scientist who yields anything to theology, however slight, is yielding to ignorance and false pretenses, and as certainly as if he granted that a… Bottle
• No matter how much a woman loved a man, it would still give her a glow to see him commit suicide for her. Commit
• The more a man dreams, the less he believes. Believe
• Whenever "A" attempts by law to impose his moral standards upon "B," "A" is most likely a scoundrel. Attempts
• The essence of a sound style is that it cannot be reduced to rules-that it is a living and breathing thing with something of the… Anything Else
• No one hates his job so heartily as a farmer. Farmer
• Once a woman passes a certain point in intelligence, it is almost impossible to get a husband: she simply cannot go on listening [to men]… Almost Impossible
• For it is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest that holds human associations together. Association
• There are no dull subjects. There are only dull writers. Dull
• An author, like any other so-called artist, is a man in whom the normal vanity of all men is so vastly exaggerated that he finds… All
• One of the main purposes of laws in a democratic society is to put burdens upon intelligence and reduce it to impotence. Ostensibly, their aim… Acts
• Youth, though it may lack knowledge, is certainly not devoid of intelligence; it sees through shams with sharp and terrible eyes. Devoid

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