Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure.

Quote by Ambrose Bierce

Topics: Ambrose Bierce Quotes

Pray, v.: To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled on behalf of...

Pray, v.: To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled on behalf of...

Erudition - dust shaken out of a book into an empty skull.

Erudition - dust shaken out of a book into an empty skull.

Vote: the instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself...

Vote: the instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself...

PANDEMONIUM, n. Literally, the Place of All the Demons. Most of them have escaped into...

PANDEMONIUM, n. Literally, the Place of All the Demons. Most of them have escaped into...

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

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

Debt, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slavedriver.

Debt, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slavedriver.

Famous, adj.: Conspicuously miserable.

Famous, adj.: Conspicuously miserable.

REVELATION, n. A famous book in which St. John the Divine concealed all that he...

REVELATION, n. A famous book in which St. John the Divine concealed all that he...

Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal...

Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal...

Optimism - the doctrine or belief that everything is beautiful, including what is ugly.

Optimism - the doctrine or belief that everything is beautiful, including what is ugly.

Childhood: the period of human life intermediate between the idiocy of infancy and the folly...

Childhood: the period of human life intermediate between the idiocy of infancy and the folly...

Destiny: A tyrant's authority for crime and a fool's excuse for failure.

Destiny: A tyrant's authority for crime and a fool's excuse for failure.

Love: A temporary insanity curable by marriage.

Love: A temporary insanity curable by marriage.

All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusion is called a philosopher.

All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusion is called a philosopher.

Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.

Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.

LONGEVITY, n. Uncommon extension of the fear of death.

LONGEVITY, n. Uncommon extension of the fear of death.

Tariff: a scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the...

Tariff: a scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the...

Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to...

Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to...

Calamities are of two kinds: misfortunes to ourselves, and good fortune to others.

Calamities are of two kinds: misfortunes to ourselves, and good fortune to others.

Friendless. Having no favors to bestow. Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and...

Friendless. Having no favors to bestow. Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and...