Contempt; the feeling of a prudent man for an enemy who is too formidable safely to be opposed. Ambrose Bierce More Quotes by Ambrose Bierce More Quotes From Ambrose Bierce Convent - a place of retirement for women who wish for leisure to meditate upon the sin of idleness. Ambrose Bierce womenjudgingretirement Conversation, n.: A vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener. Ambrose Bierce catchingcompetitionconversation DISCUSSION, n. A method of confirming others in their errors. Ambrose Bierce methoderrorsscience For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies have only to find it. Ambrose Bierce vocabularynamesmen FORMA PAUPERIS. [Latin] In the character of a poor person - a method by which a litigant without money for lawyers is considerately permitted to lose his case. Ambrose Bierce moneylatincharacter Trial. A formal inquiry designed to prove and put upon record the blameless characters of judges, advocates and jurors. Ambrose Bierce inquiryjudgingcharacter War: A by-product of the arts of peace. Ambrose Bierce productswarart Riot – A popular entertainment given to the military by innocent bystanders. Ambrose Bierce militarywarpeace Age, with his eyes in the back of his head, thinks it wisdom to see the bogs through which he has floundered. Ambrose Bierce eyeagethinking GUNPOWDER, n. An agency employed by civilized nations for the settlement of disputes which might become troublesome if left unadjusted. By most writers the invention of gunpowder is ascribed to the Chinese, but not upon very convincing evidence. Milton says it was invented by the devil to dispel angels with, and this opinion seems to derive some support from the scarcity of angels. Ambrose Bierce agencyangelscience EJECTION, n. An approved remedy for the disease of garrulity. It is also much used in cases of extreme poverty. Ambrose Bierce povertydiseaseapproval To be positive is to be mistaken at the top of one's voice. Ambrose Bierce certaintyvoicepositive The poor man's price of admittance to the favor of the rich is his self-respect. Ambrose Bierce favorsselfmen LIFE, n. A spiritual pickle preserving the body from decay. We live in daily apprehension of its loss; yet when lost it is not missed. Ambrose Bierce spirituallosslife IDLENESS, n. A model farm where the devil experiments with seeds of new sins and promotes the growth of staple vices. Ambrose Bierce devilgrowthvices Even the laws of justice themselves cannot subsist without mixture of injustice. Ambrose Bierce mixtureslawjustice DIARY, n. A daily record of that part of one's life, which he can relate to himself without blushing. Ambrose Bierce recordsdiarieslife DUEL, n. A formal ceremony preliminary to reconciliation of two enemies. Great skill is necessary to its satisfactory observance; if awkwardly performed . . . deplorable consequences sometimes ensue. A long time ago a man lost his life. Ambrose Bierce timemenlife CENTAUR, n. One of a race of persons who lived before the division of labor had been carried to such a pitch of differentiation, and who followed the primitive economic maxim, "Every man his own horse." Ambrose Bierce horsemenlife EXECUTIVE, n. An officer of the Government, whose duty it is to enforce the wishes of the legislative power until such time as the judicial department shall be pleased to pronounce them invalid and of no effect. Ambrose Bierce governmentpowertime
