Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 36

• CAVILER, n. A critic of our own work.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Work, Critics

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2369, Delphi Classics

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• Hail, high Excess especially in wine,
  To thee in worship do I bend the knee
  Who preach abstemiousness unto me
  My skull thy pulpit, as my paunch thy shrine.
  Precept on precept, aye, and line on line,
  Could ne'er persuade so sweetly to agree
  With reason as thy touch, exact and free,
  Upon my forehead and along my spine.
  At thy command eschewing pleasure's cup,
  With the hot grape I warm no more my wit;
  When on thy stool of penitence I sit
  I'm quite converted, for I can't get up.
  Ungrateful he who afterward would falter
  To make new sacrifices at thine altar!

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wine, Sacrifice, Skulls

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2393, Delphi Classics

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• OSTRICH, n. A large bird to which (for its sins, doubtless) nature has denied that hinder toe . . . . The absence of a good working pair of wings is no defect, for, as has been ingeniously pointed out, the ostrich does not fly.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Ostriches, Wings, Bird

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.176, University of Georgia Press

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• Something that is supposed to typify or stand for something else. Many symbols are mere "survivals" - as funereal urns carved on memorial monuments. We cannot stop making them, but we can give them a name that conceals our helplessness.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Names, Giving, Memorial

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.221, University of Georgia Press

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• MANICHEISM, n. The ancient Persian doctrine of an incessant warfare between Good and Evil. When Good gave up the fight the Persians joined the victorious Opposition.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Fighting, Evil, Doctrine

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.162, University of Georgia Press

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• TRUCE, n. Friendship.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Friendship, Truce

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.230, University of Georgia Press

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• Monsieur Franqulin, inventor of electricity. This
  illustrious savant, after having made several voyages around the
  world, died on the Sandwich Islands and was devoured by savages,
  of whom not a single fragment was ever recovered.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Islands, Savages, Sandwiches

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.64, University of Georgia Press

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• SACERDOTALIST, n. One who holds the belief that a clergyman is a priest. Denial of this momentous doctrine is the hardest challenge that is now flung into the teeth of the Episcopalian church by the Neo-Dictionarians.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Challenges, Church, Teeth

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2506, Delphi Classics

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• MONARCHICAL GOVERNMENT, n. Government.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Government

  Ambrose Bierce (1997). “The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce”, p.222, Рипол Классик

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• RECONCILIATION, n. A suspension of hostilities. An armed truce for the purpose of digging up the dead.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Digging, Purpose, Truce

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.194, University of Georgia Press

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• PERFECTION, n. An imaginary state of quality distinguished from the actual by an element known as excellence; an attribute of the critic.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Perfection, Excellence, Quality

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.161, 谷月社

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• PYRRHONISM- An ancient philosophy, named for its inventor. It consisted of an absolute disbelief in everything but Pyrrhonism. Its modern professors have added that.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Philosophy, Ancient, Modern

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.173, 谷月社

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• A modern school where football is taught.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Sports, Football, School

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.10, University of Georgia Press

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• PROBOSCIS, n. The rudimentary organ of an elephant which serves him in place of the knife-and-fork that Evolution has as yet denied him. For purposes of humor it is popularly called a trunk.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Knives, Elephants

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.171, 谷月社

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• PESSIMISM- philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hope, Philosophy, Pessimism

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.93, Courier Corporation

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• I think love is the most unbelievable, and critical, thing in civilization. Everything else is very mechanical and predictable, but love, you can't catch it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Love You, Love Is, Thinking

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• Appeal. In law, to put the dice into the box for another throw.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Law, Dice, Appeals

  The Devil's Dictionary

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• The Senate is a body of old men charged with high duties and misdemeanors.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, Body, Congress

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• RABBLE, n. In a republic, those who exercise a supreme authority tempered by fraudulent elections. The rabble is like the sacred Simurgh, of Arabian fable - omnipotent on condition that it do nothing.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Exercise, Republic, Sacred

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2491, Delphi Classics

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• You are not permitted to kill a woman who has wronged you, but nothing forbids you to reflect that she is growing older every minute.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Love, Funny, Marriage

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1223, Delphi Classics

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• OBSERVATORY, n. A place where astronomers conjecture away the guesses of their predecessors.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Astronomers, Conjecture

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.151, 谷月社

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• STORY, n. A narrative, commonly untrue. The truth of the stories here following has, however, not been successfully impeached.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Truth, Stories, Narrative

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.217, University of Georgia Press

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• MOUSE, n. An animal which strews its path with fainting women.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Animal, Path

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.167, University of Georgia Press

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• When among the graves of thy fellows, walk with circumspection; thine own is open at thy feet.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Death, Feet, Graves

  Ambrose Bierce (2015). “A Cynic Looks at Life”, p.47, Sheba Blake Publishing

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• HOMŒOPATHIST, n. The humorist of the medical profession.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Medical Profession, Humour

  Ambrose Bierce (2011). “Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, Tales, and Memoirs: The Devil's Dictionary, Tales, and Memoirs”, p.663, Library of America

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