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Ambrose Bierce

81 quotes

Ambrose Bierce (1842–circa 1914) was an American short story writer, journalist, and satirist best known for his darkly humorous *The Devil's Dictionary*, which redefined common words with biting cynicism. A Civil War veteran, Bierce brought a sharp, unsentimental eye to American life and politics.

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Religion

All Quotes by Ambrose Bierce

“Academe, n.: An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught. Academy, n.: A modern school where football is taught.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Sports

“Anoint, v.: To grease a king or other great functionary already sufficiently slippery.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Great

“Ardor, n. The quality that distinguishes love without knowledge.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Knowledge

“Logic: The art of thinking and reasoning in strict accordance with the limitations and incapacities of the human misunderstanding.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Art

“Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is - it is her shadow.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Truth

“Edible, adj.: Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Good

“Convent - a place of retirement for women who wish for leisure to meditate upon the sin of idleness.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Women

“Litigant. A person about to give up his skin for the hope of retaining his bones.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Hope

“A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms agains himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Failure

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Success

“To be positive is to be mistaken at the top of one's voice.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Positive

“Learning, n. The kind of ignorance distinguishing the studious.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Education

“In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Government

“Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Death

“Bride: A woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Happiness

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Patience

“Day, n. A period of twenty-four hours, mostly misspent.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Time

“Patriotism. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Patriotism

“Marriage, n: the state or condition of a community consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves, making in all, two.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Marriage

“Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Art