Puritanism. The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.

Quote by H L Mencken

Topics: H L Mencken Quotes

A Sunday school is a prison in which children do penance for the evil conscience...

A Sunday school is a prison in which children do penance for the evil conscience...

If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries...

If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries...

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

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

I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine.

I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine.

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

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

Women have simple tastes. They get pleasure out of the conversation of children in arms...

Women have simple tastes. They get pleasure out of the conversation of children in arms...

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a...

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a...

Each party steals so many articles of faith from the other, and the candidates spend...

Each party steals so many articles of faith from the other, and the candidates spend...

Opera in English is, in the main, just about as sensible as baseball in Italian.

Opera in English is, in the main, just about as sensible as baseball in Italian.

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop.

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop.

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for;...

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for;...

We are here and it is now. Further than that, all human knowledge is moonshine.

We are here and it is now. Further than that, all human knowledge is moonshine.

It is not materialism that is the chief curse of the world, as pastors teach,...

It is not materialism that is the chief curse of the world, as pastors teach,...

In the duel of sex woman fights from a dreadnought and man from an open...

In the duel of sex woman fights from a dreadnought and man from an open...

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

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

Judge: a law student who marks his own examination-papers.

Judge: a law student who marks his own examination-papers.

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

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

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.

A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is...

A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is...

Platitude: an idea (a) that is admitted to be true by everyone, and (b) that...

Platitude: an idea (a) that is admitted to be true by everyone, and (b) that...