H. L. Mencken Quotes About Literature

• The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Thinking, Social Taboos

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.145, Vintage

• A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant and the crazy crazier.

  H. L. Mencken

  Freedom, Crazy, Ignorance

  "A Mencken Chrestomathy". Book by H. L. Mencken, 1949.

• If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.

  H. L. Mencken

  Girl, Memories, Kindness

  Smart Set, Dec. 1921

• The theory seems to be that as long as a man is a failure he is one of God's children, but that as soon as he succeeds he is taken over by the Devil.

  H. L. Mencken

  Children, Failure, Taken

• The Old Testament, as everyone who has looked into it is aware, drips with blood; there is, indeed, no more bloody chronicle in all the literature of the world.

  H. L. Mencken

  Bible, Biblical, Blood

• Man is a beautiful machine that works very badly.

  H. L. Mencken

  Beautiful, Men, Machines

  H.L. Mencken (2013). “Minority Report”, p.26, Knopf

• Have you ever watched a crab on the shore crawling backward in search of the Atlantic Ocean, and missing? That's the way the mind of man operates.

  H. L. Mencken

  Missing You, Ocean, Men

• It doesn't take a majority to make a rebellion; it takes only a few determined leaders and a sound cause.

  H. L. Mencken

  Uprising, Leader, Causes

• Theology is the effort to explain the unknowable in terms of the not worth knowing.

  H. L. Mencken

  Knowing, Effort, Literature

• In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one.

  H. L. Mencken

  War, Hero, Soldier

• It is impossible to imagine the universe run by a wise, just and omnipotent God, but it is quite easy to imagine it run by a board of gods.

  H. L. Mencken

  Wise, Running, Wisdom

  H.L. Mencken (2013). “Minority Report”, p.80, Knopf

• A judge is a law student who marks his own examination papers.

  H. L. Mencken

  Funny, Law, Justice

• Man is always looking for someone to boast to; woman is always looking for a shoulder to put her head on.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Literature, Shoulders

  H. L. Mencken (2015). “In Defense of Women: Human Sexuality”, p.65, 谷月社

• Life is a constant oscillation between the sharp horns of dilemmas.

  H. L. Mencken

  Funny, Life, Choices

• Don't overestimate the decency of the human race.

  H. L. Mencken

  Race, Literature, Dignity

• Conscience is a mother-in-law whose visit never ends.

  H. L. Mencken

  Mother, Freedom, Law

  "A Mencken Chrestomathy: His Own Selection of His Choicest Writing". Book edited by H. L. Mencken, 1949.

• There is always an easy solution to every problem - neat, plausible, and wrong.

  H. L. Mencken

  Business, Simple Solutions, Neat And Tidy

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.443, Vintage

• I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine.

  H. L. Mencken

  Literature, Nine, Cigarette

• The worst government is often the most moral. One composed of cynics is often very tolerant and humane. But when fanatics are on top there is no limit to oppression.

  H. L. Mencken

  Government, Usa, Literature

  "The Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations". Book edited by Antony Jay, 1996.

• Legend: A lie that has attained the dignity of age.

  H. L. Mencken

  Birthday, Lying, History

• For it is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest that holds human associations together. Our friends seldom profit us but they make us feel safe. Marriage is a scheme to accomplish exactly that same end.

  H. L. Mencken

  Trust, Marriage, Mutual Interest

• When women kiss it always reminds one of prize fighters shaking hands.

  H. L. Mencken

  Funny, Women, Humor

  A Little Book in C Major ch. 6 (1916)

• It is impossible to imagine Goethe or Beethoven being good at billiards or golf.

  H. L. Mencken

  Sports, Golf, Gambling

• The only really happy folk are married women and single men.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Literature, Married

• A great literature is thus chiefly the product of doubting and inquiring minds in revolt against the immovable certainties of the nation.

  H. L. Mencken

  Mind, Literature, Inquiring

  "Prejudices Second Series".

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