Experience. The wisdom that enables us to recognize in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced. – Ambrose Bierce
Opiate. An unlocked door in the prison of Identity. It leads into the jail yard. – Ambrose Bierce
The Senate is a body of old men charged with high duties and misdemeanors. – Ambrose Bierce
Abscond. To move in a mysterious way, commonly with the property of another. – Ambrose Bierce
The covers of this book are too far apart. – Ambrose Bierce
Ambition. An overmastering desire to be vilified by enemies while living and made ridiculous by friends when dead. – Ambrose Bierce
Land: A part of the earths surface, considered as property. The theory that land is property subject to private ownership and control is the foundation of modern society, and is eminently worthy of the superstructure. – Ambrose Bierce
Vote: the instrument and symbol of a freemans power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country. – Ambrose Bierce
To be positive is to be mistaken at the top of ones voice. – Ambrose Bierce
Positive, adj.: Mistaken at the top of ones voice. – Ambrose Bierce
Alliance – in international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each others pockets that they cannot separately plunder a third. – Ambrose Bierce
War is Gods way of teaching Americans geography. – Ambrose Bierce
Destiny: A tyrants authority for crime and a fools excuse for failure. – Ambrose Bierce
Prescription: A physicians guess at what will best prolong the situation with least harm to the patient. – Ambrose Bierce
Convent – a place of retirement for women who wish for leisure to meditate upon the sin of idleness. – Ambrose Bierce
Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is – it is her shadow. – Ambrose Bierce
Doubt, indulged and cherished, is in danger of becoming denial but if honest, and bent on thorough investigation, it may soon lead to full establishment of the truth. – Ambrose Bierce
Friendless. Having no favors to bestow. Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and common sense. – Ambrose Bierce
Inventor: A person who makes an ingenious arrangement of wheels, levers and springs, and believes it civilization. – Ambrose Bierce
