The American Credo: A Contribution Toward the Interpretation of the National MindMencken, H. L. (Henry Louis)
General
The American Credo: A Contribution Toward the Interpretation of the National Mind
Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis)
American wit and humor; National characteristics, American
That a German farmer can raise more produce on one acre of land than an
American can raise on a hundred.
Sec.344
That a boil on the neck purifies the blood and is worth $1,000.
Sec.345
That whenever a Frenchman comes home unexpectedly, some friend of the
family makes a quick sneak out of the back door.
Sec.346
That every negro servant girl spends at least half of her wages on
preparations for taking the kink out of her hair.
Sec.347
That the licorice candy sold in cheap candy stores is made of old rubber
boots.
Sec.348
That if a boy is given all he wants to drink at home he will not drink
when he is away from home.
Sec.349
That the second-class passengers on a trans-Atlantic steamship always
have more fun than the first-class passengers.
Sec.350
That a drunken man always pronounces every "s" as "sh."
Sec.351
That champagne will prevent seasickness.
Sec.352
That thin wrists and slender ankles are unmistakable signs of
aristocratic breeding.
Sec.353
That when one asks a girl to go canoeing she always brings along a
bright red or yellow sofa cushion.
Sec.354
That when a woman buys cigars for a man she always judges the quality of
the cigars by the magnificence of the cigar-bands.
Sec.355
That candle light makes a woman forty-five years old look fifteen years
younger.
Sec.356
That the winters in the United States are a good deal less cold than
they used to be, and that the change has been caused by the Gulf Stream.
Sec.357
That the Thursday matinees given by Chauncey Olcott are attended only by
Irish servant girls.
Sec.358
That the reason the British authorities didn't lock up Bernard Shaw
during the war was because they were afraid of his mind.
Sec.359
That Professor Garner is able to carry on long and intimate
conversations with monkeys in their own language.
Sec.360
That oysters are a great aphrodisiac.
Sec.361
That if one sleeps with one's head on a high pillow one will be
round-shouldered.
Sec.362
That coal miners get so dirty that they have to wash so often that they
are the cleanest working-men in the world.
Sec.363
That the average French housewife can make such a soup out of the
contents of a garbage-can that the eater will think he is at the Ritz.
Sec.364
That such authors as Dr. Frank Crane and Herbert Kaufman do not really
believe what they write, but print it simply for the money that is in
it.
Sec.365
That the average newspaper cartoonist makes $100,000 a year.
Sec.366
That when a play is given in an insane asylum the inmates always laugh
at the tragic moments and cry at the humorous moments.
Sec.367
That if a girl takes the last cake off a plate she will die an old maid.
Sec.368
That men high in public affairs always read detective stories for
diversion.
Sec.369
That the wireless news bulletins posted daily on ocean liners are made
up on board.
Sec.370
That the Swiss, when they sing, always yodel.
Sec.371
That all German housewives are very frugal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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