Critics Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“IMBECILITY, n. A kind of divine inspiration, or sacred fire affecting censorious critics of this dictionary.”
About This Quote
Source Dictionary entry: The Devil’s Dictionary, 1906
Imbecility is humorously defined as a divine spark that ignites criticism of the dictionary itself.
In simple terms: Imbecility is a sarcastic term for divine inspiration that attacks its own source.
Key Takeaway
Recognize satire in self‑referential criticism.
Themes
satire
language
critique
Mood
witty
skeptical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- editorial commentary
- creative writing
Key Concepts
literary humor
semantic irony
Questions to Reflect On
- How does satire shape our understanding of language?
- When is self‑critique constructive?
A Different Perspective
Such definitions may confuse rather than clarify.
![“Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics - feel that [Kurt] Vonnegut started to repeat himself, to grow increasingly self-indulgent and meandering, and to sometimes just blather in his later work. But his books up…” quote by Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed7/michael-dirda-3414_1960s_nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-li_13506.jpg)