Ambrose Bierce quotes

Ambrose Bierce was an American writer, journalist, and satirist, best known for his wit and dark, sardonic style. His most famous works include “The Devil’s Dictionary” and a number of chilling short stories such as “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” He remains a mysterious figure due to his unexplained disappearance in Mexico. Here are 784 of his quotes:

Egotist: a person more interested in himself than in me. (Ambrose Bierce)
Politeness, n. The most acceptable hypocrisy. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Patience, n. A minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Logic: The art of thinking and reasoning in strict accordance with the limitations and incapacities of the human misunderstanding. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
acquaintance, n.: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
To apologize is to lay the foundation for a future offense. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Definition: CONNOISSEUR, n. A specialist who knows everything about something and nothing about anything else. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Barometer, n.: An ingenious instrument which indicates what kind of weather we are having. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Bore, n. A person who talks when you wish him to listen. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Magic: (n) The art of converting superstition into coin. (Ambrose Bierce)
Belladonna, n.: In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Future. That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true and our happiness is assured. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Bride: A woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Absurdity, n.: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Erudition - dust shaken out of a book into an empty skull. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Admiration, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to ourselves. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
PEACE, n. In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Positive, adj.: Mistaken at the top of one's voice. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Quotation, n: The act of repeating erroneously the words of another. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
YEAR, n. A period of three hundred and sixty-five disappointments. (Ambrose Bierce)
Cabbage: a familiar kitchen-garden vegetable about as large and wise as a man's head. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage or by removal of the patient from the influences under which he incurred the disorder. This disease, like caries and many other ailments, is prevalent only among civilized races living under artificial conditions; barbarous nations breathing pure air and eating simple food enjoy immunity from its ravages. It is sometimes fatal, but more frequently to the physician than to the patient. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher. View quote
Ambrose Bierce
Mayonnaise: One of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religion. View quote
Ambrose Bierce