[poconopundit]

Hey, BEJ. Glad I could give you a taste of Mencken.

Imagine a guy who was the America's leading newpaper pundit and also leading literary critic as the same time.

Mencken was a towering figure in his era.  One can learn a great deal about writing style from him, too.  He also wrote several books on a wide range of subjects.

And I would also put him on a par with Trump or Scott Adams for understanding the psychology of his fellow man.

My favorite review of Mencken reads:

"In Mr. Nolte's superbly edited collection of Mencken's Smart Set criticism, there is not a single page that left me without the sensation of sinful delight, the kind of laughter that comes from the darkest corner of the soul -- where man, in spite of his obligations to brotherhood and kindness and charity, succumbs to his inborn malevolence."

In other words, Mencken would fit right in here at Free Republic!

I would highly recommend buying the Smart Set anthology if you enjoy literature and want to hear what Mencken has to say about Joseph Conrad, Mark Twain, and a host of many unknown authors.

But the safest bet is Marian Rodgers' selection of his best newspaper stories: The Impossible H. L. Mencken.

Check out (from this book) what Mencken said about Beethoven. One his best essays:

The Source of Beethoven's Musical Genius: His Greater Dignity as a Man

[BEJ]

Yeah, I agree with his praise of Beethoven. I’m not sure about some of his remarks. For example, Mencken says “He (Beethoven) saw music differently: he sensed possibilities in it that they were entirely unaware of... They point to the vastly greater skill and ingenuity of Beethoven” but then further on he goes on to say “for Haydn, too, had his superiorities; for example, his far readier inventiveness.” It seems that Beethoven’s ingenuity is pitted against Haydn’s inventiveness. But the two words are almost synonymous for me — I don’t see the difference.

I think Beethoven, unlike Mozart, really worked at different musical lines to find the best one (they have his notebook and can see his rough drafts), whereas Mozart appeared to have his music directly dictated from God or some musical muse without any editing. I dabble in composition so I can relate to Beethoven and forever trying to find the perfect line — and sometimes it does happen quite spontaneously. Some things can be born perfect without any need to mess with it.

But I do like Mencken and I wouldn’t put it past him to have the same insights as Trump about politics. I’m sure human nature was the same then as it is now.