Ambrose Bierce Quotes About Virtue

• Perseverance - a lowly virtue whereby mediocrity achieves an inglorious success.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Success, Perseverance, Congratulations

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Super Large 18pt Edition”, p.263, ReadHowYouWant.com

• Patience, n. A minor form of dispair, disguised as a virtue.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Sarcastic, Patience, Virtue

• DIGESTION, n. The conversion of victuals into virtues. When the process is imperfect, vices are evolved instead - a circumstance from which that wicked writer, Dr. Jeremiah Blenn, infers that the ladies are the greater sufferers from dyspepsia.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Imperfection, Wicked

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

• Epitaph: An inscription on a tomb showing that virtues acquired by death have a retroactive effect.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Death, Dying, Virtue

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.69, University of Georgia Press

• One who, professing virtues that he does not respect, secures the advantage of seeming to be what he despises.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hypocrite, Doe, Virtue

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.94, 谷月社

• 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

• PILLORY, n. A mechanical device for inflicting personal distinction - prototype of the modern newspaper conducted by persons of austere virtues and blameless lives.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Virtue, Modern

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.164, 谷月社

• ROSTRUM, n. In Latin, the beak of a bird or the prow of a ship. In America, a place from which a candidate for office energetically expounds the wisdom, virtue and power of the rabble.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wisdom, Latin, America

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2504, Delphi Classics

• MULTITUDE, n. A crowd; the source of political wisdom and virtue. In a republic, the object of the statesman's adoration.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wisdom, Political, Crowds

  Ambrose Bierce, S. T. Joshi, David E. Schultz (2000). “The Fall of the Republic and Other Political Satires”, p.223, Univ. of Tennessee Press

• HOSPITALITY, n. The virtue which induces us to feed and lodge certain persons who are not in need of food and lodging.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Food, Cooking, Needs

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.14, University of Georgia Press

• RUIN, v. To destroy. Specifically, to destroy a maid's belief in the virtue of maids.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Maids, Ruins, Belief

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.110, Courier Corporation

• Fidelity - a virtue peculiar to those who are about to be betrayed.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Peculiar, Betrayed, Virtue

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.67, 谷月社

• Human nature is pretty well balanced; for every lacking virtue there is a rough substitute that will serve at a pinch--as cunning is the wisdom of the unwise, and ferocity the courage of the coward.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Coward, Human Nature, Virtue

  Ambrose Bierce, S. T. Joshi, David E. Schultz (1998). “A Sole Survivor: Bits of Autobiography”, p.238, Univ. of Tennessee Press

• VIRTUES, n.pl. Certain abstentions.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Virtue, Certain, Certainty

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.230, 谷月社

• UGLINESS, n. A gift of the gods to certain women, entailing virtue without humility.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Humility, Virtue, Certain

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.227, 谷月社

• RIGHTEOUSNESS, n. A sturdy virtue that was once found among the Pantidoodles inhabiting the lower part of the peninsula of Oque. Some feeble attempts were made by returned missionaries to introduce it into several European countries . .

  Ambrose Bierce

  Country, Virtue, Introducing

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.108, Courier Corporation

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