H. L. Mencken Quotes


Shave a gorilla and it would be almost impossible, at twenty paces, to distinguish him from a heavyweight champion of the world. Skin a chimpanzee, and it would take an autopsy to prove he was not a theologian.


Citations

Mencken, H. L. Minority Report: H. L. Mencken's Notebooks. Alfred A. Knopf, 1956.

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H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken
  • Born: September 12, 1880
  • Died: January 29, 1956
  • Nationality: American
  • Profession: Journalist, Essayist, Satirist, Social Critic

Henry Louis Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. His satirical reporting on the Scopes Trial, which he dubbed the "Monkey Trial," also gained him attention.