H. L. Mencken

Democracy is only a dream: it should be put in the same category as Arcadia, Santa Claus, and Heaven.

Democracy is only a dream: it should be put in the same category as Arcadia, Santa Claus, and Heaven.

I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it read more

I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone.

Progress is the process whereby the human race is getting rid of whiskers, the veriform appendix and God.

Progress is the process whereby the human race is getting rid of whiskers, the veriform appendix and God.

We must think of human progress, not as of something going on in the race in general, but as something read more

We must think of human progress, not as of something going on in the race in general, but as something going on in a small minority, perpetually beleaguered in a few walled towns. Now and then the horde of barbarians outside breaks through, and we have an armed effort to halt the process. That is, we have a Reformation, a French Revolution, a war for democracy, a Great Awakening. The minority is decimated and driven to cover. But a few survive- and a few are enough to carry on.

It is hard to tell if a man is telling the truth when you know you would lie if you read more

It is hard to tell if a man is telling the truth when you know you would lie if you were in his place.