A

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.

“It is evident that skepticism, while it makes no actual change in man, always makes him feel better.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Change

All Quotes by Ambrose Bierce

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Success

“Experience - the wisdom that enables us to recognise in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Experience

“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

“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Anger

“History is an account, mostly false, of events, mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers, mostly knaves, and soldiers, mostly fools.”

— Ambrose Bierce

History

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Sports

“Sabbath - a weekly festival having its origin in the fact that God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh.”

— Ambrose Bierce

God

“The gambling known as business looks with austere disfavor upon the business known as gambling.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Business

“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

“Women in love are less ashamed than men. They have less to be ashamed of.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Men

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Time

“Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Business

“Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Jealousy

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Art

“Forgetfulness - a gift of God bestowed upon debtors in compensation for their destitution of conscience.”

— Ambrose Bierce

God

“Inventor: A person who makes an ingenious arrangement of wheels, levers and springs, and believes it civilization.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Technology

“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

“Meekness: Uncommon patience in planning a revenge that is worth while.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Patience

“Eulogy. Praise of a person who has either the advantages of wealth and power, or the consideration to be dead.”

— Ambrose Bierce

Power

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

— Ambrose Bierce

Art