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

Quote by Ambrose Bierce

Topics: Ambrose Bierce Quotes

Mayonnaise: One of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religion.

Mayonnaise: One of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religion.

COMMERCE, n. A kind of transaction in which A plunders from B the goods of...

COMMERCE, n. A kind of transaction in which A plunders from B the goods of...

Land: A part of the earth's surface, considered as property. The theory that land is...

Land: A part of the earth's surface, considered as property. The theory that land is...

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.

Education: That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of...

Education: That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of...

RASH, adj. Insensible to the value of our advice.

RASH, adj. Insensible to the value of our advice.

Advice is the smallest current coin.

Advice is the smallest current coin.

Electricity is the power that causes all natural phenomena not known to be caused by...

Electricity is the power that causes all natural phenomena not known to be caused by...

Pray: To ask the laws of the universe to be annulled on behalf of a...

Pray: To ask the laws of the universe to be annulled on behalf of a...

Admiration, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to ourselves.

Admiration, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to ourselves.

LOSS, n. Privation of that which we had, or had not. Thus, in the latter...

LOSS, n. Privation of that which we had, or had not. Thus, in the latter...

SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and...

SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and...

Absence blots people out. We really have no absent friends.

Absence blots people out. We really have no absent friends.

INSURRECTION, n. An unsuccessful revolution. Disaffection's failure to substitute misrule for bad government.

INSURRECTION, n. An unsuccessful revolution. Disaffection's failure to substitute misrule for bad government.

CONSUL, n. In American politics, a person who having failed to secure and office from...

CONSUL, n. In American politics, a person who having failed to secure and office from...

Ambidextrous, adj.: Able to pick with equal skill a right-hand pocket or a left.

Ambidextrous, adj.: Able to pick with equal skill a right-hand pocket or a left.

Marriage is the state or condition of a community consisting of a master, a mistress...

Marriage is the state or condition of a community consisting of a master, a mistress...

Patriotism. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.

Patriotism. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.

Mad, adj. Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence.

Mad, adj. Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence.

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

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