H. L. Mencken Quotes - Page 11

• The only cure for contempt is counter-contempt.

  H. L. Mencken

  Cures, Contempt

  H.L. Mencken (2013). “Minority Report”, p.100, Knopf

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• [Science] must be amoral by its very nature: The minute it begins separating facts into the two categories of good ones and bad ones it ceases to be science and becomes a mere nuisance, like theology.

  H. L. Mencken

  Two, Nuisance, Facts

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• The only way to reconcile science and religion is to set up something which is not science and something that is not religion.

  H. L. Mencken

  Science, Way, Science And Religion

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• To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true!

  H. L. Mencken

  Wisdom, Men, Ideas

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• 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 is to penalize anti-social acts; actually their aim is to penalize heretical opinions. At least ninety-five Americans out of every 100 believe that this process is honest and even laudable; it is practically impossible to convince them that there is anything evil in it. In other words, they cannot grasp the concept of liberty.

  H. L. Mencken

  Business, Believe, Law

  "Liberty and Democracy". Baltimore Evening Sun (April 13, 1925) as quoted in "A Second Mencken Chrestomathy: A New Selection from the Writings of America's Legendary Editor, Critic, and Wit" edited by Terry Teachout (p. 35), 1994.

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• Human life is basically a comedy. Even its tragedies often seem comic to the spectator, and not infrequently they actually have comic touches to the victim. Happiness probably consists largely in the capacity to detect and relish them. A man who can laugh, if only at himself, is never really miserable.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Laughing, Tragedy

  H.L. Mencken (2013). “Minority Report”, p.21, Knopf

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• Government today is growing too strong to be safe. There are no longer any citizens in the world there are only subjects. They work day in and day out for their masters they are bound to die for their masters at call. Out of this working and dying they tend to get less and less.

  H. L. Mencken

  Strong, Government, Dying

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.148, Vintage

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• The storm center of lawlessness in every American State is the State Capitol. It is there that the worst crimes are committed; it is there that lawbreaking attains to the estate and dignity of a learned profession; it is there that contempt for the laws is engendered, fostered, and spread broadcast.

  H. L. Mencken

  Government, Law, Liberty

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• Nine out of ten Americans are actually monarchists at bottom. The fact is proved by their high suseptibility to political claims by president's sons and other relatives, usually nonentities.

  H. L. Mencken

  Son, Government, Political

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• Dachshund: A half-a-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long.

  H. L. Mencken

  Funny, Dog, Long

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• Religion deserves no more respect than a pile of garbage.

  H. L. Mencken

  Atheist, Garbage, Deserve

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• Human progress is furthered, not by conformity, but by aberration.

  H. L. Mencken

  Wisdom, Progress, Aberration

  H.L. Mencken (2013). “Second Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.470, Vintage

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• 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.

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• Say what you will about the ten commandments, you must always come back to the pleasant fact that there are only ten of them.

  H. L. Mencken

  Funny, Laughter, Freedom

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• The typical lawmaker of today is a man wholly devoid of principle - a mere counter in a grotesque and knavish game. If the right pressure could be applied to him, he would be cheerfully in favor of polygamy, astrology or cannibalism.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Astrology, Games

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.261, Vintage

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• There is, it appears, a conspiracy of scientists afoot. Their purpose is to break down religion, propagate immorality, and so reduce mankind to the level of brutes. They are the sworn and sinister agents of Beelzebub, who yearns to conquer the world, and has his eye especially upon Tennessee.]

  H. L. Mencken

  Eye, Science, Conquer The World

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• A politician is an animal which can sit on a fence and yet keep both ears to the ground.

  H. L. Mencken

  Freedom, Animal, Democracy

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• A man of active and resilient mind outwears his friendships just as certainly as he outwears his love affairs, his politics and his epistemology.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Mind, His Love

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.16, Vintage

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• In the United States, doing good has come to be, like patriotism, a favorite device of persons with something to sell.

  H. L. Mencken

  Cynical, Patriotism, United States

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.359, Vintage

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• Capitalism undoubtedly has certain boils and blotches upon it, but has it as many as government? Has it as many as marriage? Has it as many as religion? I doubt it. It is the only basic institution of modern man that shows any genuine health and vigor.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Doubt, Vigor

  American Mercury, Aug. 1928

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• Nature abhors a moron.

  H. L. Mencken

  Nature, Stupidity, Moron

  H.L. Mencken (2012). “Mencken Chrestomathy”, p.616, Vintage

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• Men always try to make virtues of their weaknesses. Fear of death and fear of life both become piety.

  H. L. Mencken

  Fear, Men, Atheism

  H.L. Mencken (2013). “Minority Report”, p.54, Knopf

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• The public, with its mob yearning to be instructed, edified and pulled by the nose, demands certainties; it must be told definitely and a bit raucously that this is true and that is false. But there are no certainties.

  H. L. Mencken

  Society, Noses, Demand

  H. L. Mencken, Marion Elizabeth Rodgers (2010). “H.L. Mencken: Prejudices: First, Second, and Third Series”, Hubsta Ltd

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• Why writers write I do not know. As well ask why a hen lays an egg or why a cow stands patiently while an underprivileged farmer burglarizes her.

  H. L. Mencken

  Writing, Eggs, Hens

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• Man is a natural polygamist: he always has one woman leading him by the nose, and another hanging on to his coattails.

  H. L. Mencken

  Men, Noses, Hanging On

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