H. L. Mencken, in Smart Set, July 1910. Reprinted in William J. Scheick, The Critical Response to H. G. Wells, Greenwood Press (p. 93), 1995.
“
I have no hestitation whatever in saying that Wells, as he is, entertains me far more agreeably than Dickens. I know very well that the author of David Copperfield was a greater artist than the author of Mr. Polly, just as I know that the Archbishop of Canterbury is a more virtuous man than my good friend, Fred the Bartender, ; but all the same, I prefer Wells and Fred to Dickens and the Archbishop.
— H. L. Mencken
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I have no hestitation whatever in saying that Wells, as he is, entertains me far more agreeably than Dickens. I know very well that the author of David Copperfield was a greater artist than the author of Mr. Polly, just as I know that the Archbishop of Canterbury is a more virtuous man than my good friend, Fred the Bartender, ; but all the same, I prefer Wells and Fred to Dickens and the Archbishop." in the context of "H. L. Mencken, in Smart Set, July 1910. Reprinted in William J. Scheick, The Critical Response to H. G. Wells, Greenwood Press (p. 93), 1995." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "H. G. Wells" (Quotes about Wells)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells (September 21 1866 – August 13 1946) was a British writer most famous for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man and The Time Machine; also for Kipps, The History of Mr. Polly and other social satires.
About H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells (September 21 1866 – August 13 1946) was a British writer most famous for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man and The Time Machine; also for Kipps, The History of Mr. Polly and other social satires.
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