Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/prejudicesfirsts00menc Transcriber’s note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). PREJUDICES FIRST SERIES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _By H. L. MENCKEN_ PREJUDICES: FIRST SERIES A BOOK OF PREFACES IN DEFENSE OF WOMEN A BOOK OF BURLESQUES THE PHILOSOPHY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE [_New edition in preparation for fall of 1921_] _With George Jean Nathan_ THE AMERICAN CREDO HELIOGABALUS _Out of Print_ VENTURES INTO VERSE GEORGE BERNARD SHAW: HIS PLAYS THE ARTIST A LITTLE BOOK IN C MAJOR A BOOK OF CALUMNY MEN VERSUS THE MAN [_With R. R. La Monte_] EUROPE AFTER 8:15 [_With Mr. Nathan and W. H. Wright_] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PREJUDICES FIRST SERIES by H. L. MENCKEN [Illustration] Published at the Borzoi · New York · by Alfred · A · Knopf Copyright, 1919, by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Published September, 1919 Second Printing January, 1920 Third Printing April, 1920 Fourth Printing March, 1921 Printed in the United States of America CONTENTS I CRITICISM OF CRITICISM OF CRITICISM, 9 II THE LATE MR. WELLS, 22 III ARNOLD BENNETT, 36 IV THE DEAN, 52 V PROFESSOR VEBLEN, 59 VI THE NEW POETRY MOVEMENT, 83 VII THE HEIR OF MARK TWAIN, 97 VIII HERMANN SUDERMANN, 105 IX GEORGE ADE, 113 X THE BUTTE BASHKIRTSEFF, 123 XI SIX MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE, 129 1. The Boudoir Balzac, 129 2. A Stranger on Parnassus, 134 3. A Merchant of Mush, 138 4. The Last of the Victorians, 139 5. A Bad Novelist, 145 6. A Broadway Brandes, 148 XII THE GENEALOGY OF ETIQUETTE, 150 XIII THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE, 171 XIV THE ULSTER POLONIUS, 181 XV AN UNHEEDED LAW-GIVER, 191