Top 150 Quotes by H. L. Mencken

I believe that all government is evil, and that trying to improve it is largely a waste of time.

It is not materialism that is the chief curse of the world, as pastors teach, but idealism. Men get into trouble by taking their visions and hallucinations too seriously.

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.

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

Man weeps to think that he will die so soon; woman, that she was born so long ago.

For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing.

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.

Unquestionably, there is progress. The average American now pays out twice as much in taxes as he formerly got in wages.

Criticism is prejudice made plausible.