Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 14

• ENOUGH, pro. All there is in the world if you like it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  World, You Like It, Enough

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.55, 谷月社

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• Here's to woman! Would that we could fold into her arms without falling into her hands.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Love, Women, Fall

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• Wit - the salt with which the American humorist spoils his intellectual cookery by leaving it out.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Native American, Humor, Leaving

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.238, University of Georgia Press

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• PRESIDENT, n. The leading figure in a small group of men of whom - and of whom only - it is positively known that immense numbers of their countrymen did not want any of them for President.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Leadership, Men, Numbers

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2486, Delphi Classics

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• ADMINISTRATION, n. An ingenious abstraction in politics, designed to receive the kicks and cuffs due to the premier or president. A man of straw, proof against bad-egging and dead-catting.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, President, Cuffs

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.9, 谷月社

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• Ambidextrous, adj.: Able to pick with equal skill a right-hand pocket or a left.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hands, Skills, Pockets

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2355, Delphi Classics

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• RAILROAD, n. The chief of many mechanical devices enabling us to get away from where we are to where we are no better off. For this purpose the railroad is held in highest favor by the optimist, for it permits him to make the transit with great expedition.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Railroads, Purpose

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.176, 谷月社

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• Patriotism, n. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name. In Dr. Johnson's famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit it is the first.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Names, Patriotism, Ambitious

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.160, 谷月社

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• CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time remains to him.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Time, Future, Men

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.31, 谷月社

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• WAR, n. A by-product of the arts of peace. The most menacing political condition is a period of international amity.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Art, Peace, War

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “The Devil's Dictionary (or The Cynic's Wordbook: Unabridged with all the Definitions)”, p.217, e-artnow

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• PLENIPOTENTIARY, adj. Having full power. A Minister Plenipotentiary is a diplomatist possessing absolute authority on condition that he never exert it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Power, Authority, Ministers

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.184, University of Georgia Press

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• What this country needs what every country needs occasionally is a good hard bloody war to revive the vice of patriotism on which its existence as a nation depends.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Country, War, Patriotism

  Ambrose Bierce, S. T. Joshi, Tryambak Sunand Joshi, David E. Schultz (2003). “A Much Misunderstood Man: Selected Letters of Ambrose Bierce”, p.208, Ohio State University Press

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• RATIONAL, adj. Devoid of all delusions save those of observation, experience and reflection.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Reflection, Experience, Observation

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.175, 谷月社

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• CARNIVOROUS, adj. Addicted to the cruelty of devouring the timorous vegetarian, his heirs and assigns.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Sarcastic, Science, Heirs

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

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• A book which the Mohammedans foolishly believe to have been written by divine inspiration, but which Christians know to be a wicked imposture, contradictory to the Holy Scriptures.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Christian, Believe, Book

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.68, Courier Corporation

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• Mayonnaise: One of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religion.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Food, Cooking, Religion

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

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• As a means of dispensing formulated ignorance our boasted public school system is not without merit; it spreads out education sufficiently thin to give everyone enough to make him a more competent fool than he would have been without it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  School, Ignorance, Mean

  Ambrose Bierce (2015). “A Cynic Looks at Life”, p.7, Sheba Blake Publishing

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• Economy, n. Purchasing the barrel of whiskey that you do not need for the price of the cow that you cannot afford.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Needs, Cows, Whiskey

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2387, Delphi Classics

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• VANITY, n. The tribute of a fool to the worth of the nearest ass.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Vanity, Fool, Ass

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.229, 谷月社

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• Religions are conclusions for which the facts of nature supply no major premises.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Death, Religious, Dying

  Ambrose Bierce (1909). “The Shadow on the Dial: And Other Essays”

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• Acquaintance: "A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. A degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and intimate when he is rich or famous.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Degrees, Rich, Obscure

  Cynic's Word Book (1906) p. 12

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• Liberty: One of Imagination's most precious possessions.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Freedom, Patriotic, Imagination

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.150, University of Georgia Press

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• Fashion, n. A despot whom the wise ridicule and obey.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wise, Fashion, Ridicule

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2396, Delphi Classics

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• Pun: A form of wit, to which wise men stoop and fools aspire

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wise, Men, Fool

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• Mad; adj. Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence; not conforming to standards of thought, speech, and action derived by the conformants from study of themselves; at odds with the majority; in short, unusual. It is noteworthy that persons are pronounced mad by officials destitute of evidence that they themselves are sane.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Crazy, Odds, Mad

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.184, ReadHowYouWant.com

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