REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
REVELATION, n. A famous book in which St. John the Divine concealed all that he knew. The revealing is done by the… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
ELEGY, n. A composition in verse, in which, without employing any of the methods of humor, the writer aims to produce in… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
OLD, adj. In that stage of usefulness which is not inconsistent with general inefficiency, as an "old man". Discredited by lapse of… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
A popular author is one who writes what the people think. Genius invites them to think something else. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
ROMANCE, n. Fiction that owes no allegiance to the God of Things as They Are. In the novel the writer's thought is… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
Scriptures - The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
DEPUTY, n. A male relative of an office-holder, or of his bondsman. The deputy is commonly a beautiful young man, with a… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
“NOVEL, n. A short story padded. A species of composition bearing the same relation to literature that the panorama bears to art.… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
SCRAP-BOOK, n. A book that is commonly edited by a fool. Many persons of some small distinction compile scrap-books containing whatever they… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
If you want to read a perfect book there is only one way: write it. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
Damning, with bell, book and candle / Some sinner whose opinions are a scandal. / A rite permitting Satan to enslave him… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
EXECUTIVE, n. An officer of the Government, whose duty it is to enforce the wishes of the legislative power until such time… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
SATIRE, n. An obsolete kind of literary composition in which the vices and follies of the author's enemies were expounded with imperfect… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
An appellate court which reverses the judgment of a popular author's contemporaries, the appellant being his obscure competitor. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impertinent ignorance. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
The bold and discerning writer who, recognizing the truth that language must grow by innovation if it grow at all, makes new… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
A book which the Mohammedans foolishly believe to have been written by divine inspiration, but which Christians know to be a wicked… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
LORE, n. Learning --particularly that sort which is not derived from a regular course of instruction but comes of the reading of… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
“PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. The wisdom of… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
GOOSE, n. A bird that supplies quills for writing. These [quills] when inked and drawn mechanically across paper by a person called… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
“Cartesian,adj. Relating to Descartes, a famous philosopher, author of the celebrated dictum, Cogito ergo sum- whereby he was pleased to suppose he… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
SATIRE, n. An obsolete kind of literary composition in which the vices and follies of the author's enemies were expounded with imperfect… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping. — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who… — Ambrose Bierce Copy Share Image
