More from H. L. Mencken
- A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.
- A man may be a fool and not know it – but not if he is married.
- Creator — A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh.
- Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.
- Explanations exist; they have existed for all times, for there is always an easy solution to every human problem – neat, plausible, and wrong.
- Explanations exist; they have existed for all times, for there is always an easy solution to every human problem - neat, plausible, and wrong. 'The Divine Afflatus,' in the New York Evening Mail, November 15, 1917
Last reviewed 2026-07-06