All Ambrose Bierce Quotes
- DEGRADATION, n. One of the stages of moral and social progress from private station to political preferment. Degradation
- CALUMNUS, n. A graduate of the School for Scandal. Graduate
- SORCERY, n. The ancient prototype and forerunner of political influence. It was, however, deemed less respectable and sometimes was punished by torture and death. Ancient
- DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set. Another Set
- READING, n. The general body of what one reads. In our country it consists, as a rule, of Indiana novels, short stories in "dialect" and… Body
- PALMISTRY, n. The 947th method . . . of obtaining money by false pretences [by] "reading character" in the wrinkles [of] the hand. The pretence… Altogether
- Egotism, n: Doing the New York Times crossword puzzle with a pen. Crossword
- PRE-EXISTENCE, n. An unnoted factor in creation. Creation
- NOUMENON, n. That which exists, as distinguished from that which merely seems to exist, the latter being a phenomenon. The noumenon is a bit difficult… Apprehended
- MATERIAL, adj. Having an actual existence, as distinguished from an imaginary one. Important. Actual
- INCOMPOSSIBLE, adj. Unable to exist if something else exists. Two things are incompossible when the world of being has scope enough for one of them,… Both
- REPUBLIC, n. A nation in which, the thing governing and the thing governed being the same, there is only a permitted authority to enforce an… Authority
- MAJESTY, n. The state and title of a king. Regarded with a just contempt by the Most Eminent Grand Masters, Grand Chancellors, Great Incohonees and… America
- PALACE, n. A fine and costly residence, particularly that of a great official. The residence of a high dignitary of the Christian Church is called… Called
- JOSS-STICKS- Small sticks burned by the Chinese in their pagan tomfoolery, in imitation of certain sacred rites of our holy religion. Burned
- NIRVANA- In the Buddhist religion, a state of pleasurable annihilation awarded to the wise, particularly to those wise enough to understand it. Annihilation
- MONSIGNOR- A high ecclesiastical title, of which the Founder of our religion overlooked the advantages. Advantage
- INADMISSIBLE- Not competent to be considered. Hearsay evidence is inadmissible ... but there is no religion in the world that has any other basis than… Any
- POSITIVISM- A philosophy that denies our knowledge of the Real and affirms our ignorance of the Apparent. Its longest exponent is Comte, its broadest Mill… Affirms
- PYRRHONISM- An ancient philosophy, named for its inventor. It consisted of an absolute disbelief in everything but Pyrrhonism. Its modern professors have added that. Absolute
- PESSIMISM- philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. Conviction
- NEWTONIAN, Pertaining to a philosophy of the universe invented by Newton, who discovered that an apple will fall to the ground, but was unable to… Able
- Introduction - a social ceremony invented by the devil for the gratification of his servants and the plaguing of his enemies. Ceremony
- Condole - to show that bereavement is a smaller evil than sympathy. Bereavement
- Glutton- A person who escapes the evils of moderation by committing dyspepsia. Committing