Mencken's Pen
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H. L. Mencken was born in Baltimore in 1880, died there in 1956, and was the most influential American journalists during the first half of the 20th century. He continues to have an impact today.
H.L. Mencken was an influential journalist born in Baltimore in 1880 who died there in 1956. He was the most prominent American journalist during the first half of the 20th century and continues to have a significant impact up until today.

Mencken was controversial and quite opinionated and some called him "The Barb Of Baltimore." Though he couldn't have known exactly who would be elected twice to the office of president during the first decade of this century, listen to the words he wrote on July 26, 1920:
H.L. Mencken was a controversial and opinionated figure, sometimes referred to as "The Barb of Baltimore." Even though he could not have known the outcome of the subsequent two presidential elections during the first decade of the 21st century, his words still resonate today.

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken prophesized on July 26, 1920, that as democracy becomes perfect, the people's desires will be represented more closely in the office. On a great and glorious day, the common people of the land will achieve their dream, and the White House will be decorated by a complete imbecile.

H.L. Mencken wrote that more than 80 years ago he understood more than we'll ever know we think we're making progress we better think again when we read what was written by H. L. Mencken's pen Mencken's pen
H.L. Mencken had greater insight more than eighty years ago than we'll ever have now. We believe we are making progress, but it is essential to reconsider after reading what H.L. Mencken wrote with his pen, as the words still have relevance.

A church is a place in which gentlemen who have never been to heaven brag about it to persons who will never get there
H.L. Mencken describes a church as a place where people who've never been to heaven brag about it to people who are never going there.

A judge is a law student who marks his own exam papers
H.L. Mencken describes a judge as someone who marks his own examination papers while still a law student.

In the United States, doing good has come to be, like patriotism, a favorite device of persons with something to sell
In the United States, doing good has become a popular marketing technique, much like patriotism, used by those who have something to sell.

All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it.
H.L. Mencken believes all men are conmen. The only difference between them is that some confess, but he does not admit to it.

Adultery is the application of democracy to love
H.L. Mencken defines adultery as the utilization of democracy in the aspect of affection.

Conscience is a mother-in-law whose visit never ends, and the inner voice that warns us that someone might be looking
H.L. Mencken compares conscience to a never-ending visit from the mother-in-law and the inner voice at the back of our head reminding us that someone might be watching.

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods
H.L. Mencken disapprovingly describes every election as an advance auction of stolen goods.

Never let your inferiors do you a favor -- it will be extremely costly
H.L. Mencken advises never to accept a favor from your inferiors because it will ultimately be very expensive.

I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone
H.L. Mencken has faith in only one thing: Liberty. However, he does not advocate forcefully imposing liberty onto others.

I never lecture, not because I am shy or a bad speaker, but simply because I detest the sort of people who go to lectures and I don't want to meet them
H.L. Mencken detests going to lectures and the type of people that attend them. Thus, he never lectures himself.

I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine
H.L. Mencken admits to having never smoked a cigarette until he was nine.

If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner
H.L. Mencken suggests that if a politician had constituents who were cannibals, they would promise them missionaries to eat.

Criticism is prejudice made plausible
H.L. Mencken declares criticism as plausible prejudice.

It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place
H.L. Mencken articulates that it is difficult to believe when someone is telling the truth while keeping in mind that you would lie in their place.

In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one
H.L. Mencken observes that in war, the number of heroes always surpasses the number of ordinary soldiers tenfold.

Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable
H.L. Mencken defines faith as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the unlikely.

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican
In this world of sin and sorrow, there is still always something to be grateful for. In H.L. Mencken's case, it was not being a republican.

H.L. Mencken wrote that more than 70 years ago but the words still echo true although we think we're making progress we better think again when we read what was written by H. L. Mencken's pen Mencken's pen
H.L. Mencken's words, written more than 70 years ago, continues to resonate now. Though we may believe we are making progress, we need to reconsider after reading what was written by H.L. Mencken's pen.

A legend is a lie that has attained the dignity of age
H.L. Mencken defines a legend as a lie that has become old and dignified.

As the arteries grow hard, the heart grows soft
H.L. Mencken observes that as the arteries harden, the heart softens.

Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence
H.L. Mencken describes love as the overcoming of imagination over intelligence.

Puritanism: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy
H.L. Mencken defines puritanism as the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be content.

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 theorizes that if a man is a failure, he is one of God's children, but if he succeeds, he is automatically subjugated by the devil.

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 remarks on the ten commandments, reminding that regardless of individuals' opinions, there are still only ten.

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance
H.L. Mencken states that democracy is a tragic hope in common ignorance.

War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums and smaller adrenal glands
H.L. Mencken suggests that wars will only stop when children are born with larger brains and smaller adrenaline glands.

H.L. Mencken wrote that more than 60 years ago got a kick out of tweaking the status quo we think we're making progress we better think again when we read what was written by H. L. Mencken's pen Mencken's pen
H.L. Mencken got a kick out of challenging the status quo and wrote lines more than sixty years ago that are still relevant today. We need to re-evaluate our current state after reading what was written by H.L. Mencken's pen.

Mencken's pen
H.L. Mencken's pen refers to the words written by the great H.L. Mencken himself that continue to influence and inspire people up until today.