Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 27

• OBSTINATE, adj. Inaccessible to the truth as it is manifest in the splendor and stress of our advocacy.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Truth, Stress, Splendor

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.173, University of Georgia Press

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• A cheap and easy cynicism rails at everything. The master of the art accomplishes the formidable task of discrimination.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Art, Tasks, Discrimination

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 8 Epigrams, On With the Dance, Negligible Tales”, p.250, tredition

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• WITCH, n. (1) Any ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in wickedness a league beyond the devil.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Beautiful, Women, League

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.327, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• Woman absent is woman dead.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Absence, Absent

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• POVERTY, n. A file provided for the teeth of the rats of reform. Its victims are distinguished by possession of all the virtues and by their faith in leaders seeking to conduct them into a prosperity where they believe these to be unknown.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Believe, Leader, Teeth

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.96, Courier Corporation

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• The most offensive egotist is he that fears to say "I" and "me." "It will probably rain" - that is dogmatic. "I think it will rain" - that is natural and modest. Montaigne is the most delightful of essayists because so great is his humility that he does not think it important that we see not Montaigne. He so forgets himself that he employs no artifice to make us forget him.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Rain, Humility, Thinking

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2696, Delphi Classics

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• MONUMENT, n. A structure intended to commemorate something which either needs no commemoration or cannot be commemorated.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Needs, Structure, Commemoration

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.146, 谷月社

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• Immigrant: An unenlightened person who thinks one country better than another.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Country, Thinking, Persons

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.117, University of Georgia Press

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• Aristocrats: n. fellows that wear downy hats and clean shirts - guilty of education and suspected of bank accounts.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Guilt, Hats, Clean

  Ambrose Bierce (1911). “The collected works”

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• When prosperous the fool trembles for the evil that is to come; in adversity the philosopher smiles for the good that he has had.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Adversity, Evil, Fool

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1220, Delphi Classics

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• SCARABAEUS, n. The sacred beetle of the ancient Egyptians, allied to our familiar "tumble-bug." It was supposed to symbolize immortality, the fact that God knew why giving it its peculiar sanctity.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Giving, Peculiar, Sacred

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.276, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• Riven and torn with cannon-shot, the trunks of the trees protruded bunches of splinters like hands, the fingers above the wound interlacing with those below.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hands, Tree, Splinters

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “Civil War Stories”, p.18, Courier Corporation

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• Ability is commonly found to consist mainly in a high degree of solemnity.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Degrees, Solemnity, Found

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.7, University of Georgia Press

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• DISCRIMINATE, v.i. To note the particulars in which one person or thing is, if possible, more objectionable than another.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Discrimination, Notes, Persons

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.57, University of Georgia Press

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• A comely female inhabiting the Mohammedan Paradise to make things cheery for the good Mussulman, whose belief in her existence marks a noble discontent with his earthly spouse, whom he denies a soul.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Soul, Atheism, Female

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.113, University of Georgia Press

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• Clarinet n. An instrument of torture operated by a person with cotton in his ears. There are two instruments worse than a clarinet – two clarinets.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Two, Ears, Cotton

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• To be comic is merely to be playful, but wit is a serious matter. To laugh at it is to confess that you do not understand.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Laughing, Matter, Serious

  Ambrose Bierce (2015). “A Cynic Looks at Life”, p.38, Sheba Blake Publishing

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• PRISON, n. A place of punishments and rewards. The poet assures us that - stone walls do not a prison make.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wall, Punishment, Stones

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.188, University of Georgia Press

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• The money-getter who pleads his love of work has a lame defense, for love of work at money-getting is a lower taste than love of money.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Defense, Lame, His Love

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 8 Epigrams, On With the Dance, Negligible Tales”, p.253, tredition

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• DISABUSE, v.t. To present your neighbor with another and better error than the one which he has deemed advantageous to embrace.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Errors, Neighbor, Embrace

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “The Best Of Ambrose Bierce: The Damned Thing + An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge + The Devil's Dictionary + Chickamauga (4 Classics in 1 Book)”, p.67, e-artnow

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• Cabbage: a familiar kitchen-garden vegetable about as large and wise as a man's head.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wise, Food, Men

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.25, 谷月社

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• Magpie, n.: A bird whose theivish disposition suggested to someone that it might be taught to talk.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Bird, Might, Taught

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• Take not God's name in vain; select a time when it will have effect.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Funny, God, Names

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.41, 谷月社

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• In this world one must have a name; it prevents confusion, even when it does not establish identity. Some, though, are known by numbers, which also seem inadequate distinctions.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Names, Numbers, Confusion

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and Other Stories”, p.128, Courier Corporation

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• HOMOEOPATHY, n. A school of medicine midway between Allopathy and Christian Science. To the last both the others are distinctly inferior, for Christian Science will cure imaginary diseases, and they can not.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Christian, School, Science

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.111, University of Georgia Press

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