Who said “An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes…”?

Verified

H. L. Mencken. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"A Few Pages of Notes," The Smart Set (January 1915); later published in A Little Book in C Major (1916)

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“An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing.”
— H. L. Mencken
Verified"A Few Pages of Notes," The Smart Set (January 1915); later published in A Little Book in C Major (1916) · evidenceIdeals and Idealism
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "A Few Pages of Notes," The Smart Set (January 1915); later published in A Little Book in C Major (1916).

APA

Mencken, H. L. (n.d.). An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2115-an-idealist-is-one-who-on-noticing-that/

MLA

Mencken, H. L. “An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2115-an-idealist-is-one-who-on-noticing-that/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Mencken, H. L. “An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2115-an-idealist-is-one-who-on-noticing-that/.

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