01 July 2009

Ambrose Bierce...


ALLIANCE. n. In international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each other's pocket that they cannot separately plunder a third.

The Cynic's Word Book (1906) p. 16

HISTORY. n. An account, mostly false, of events, mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers, mostly knaves, and soldiers, mostly fools.

The Cynic's Word Book (1906) p. 161

PEACE. n. In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.

The Devil's Dictionary (1911) p. 248

PREJUDICE. n. A vagrant opinion without visible means of support.

The Devil's Dictionary (1911) p. 264

SAINT. n. A dead sinner revised and edited.

The Devil's Dictionary (1911) p. 306

Ambrose Bierce (1842 - c. 1914)

6 comments:

spew-it-all said...

Saint: a dead sinner revised and edited? This is gold.

If this were written in modern day then it may define blogger as: a miserable whinger who like to slightly exhibit himself/herself (or both) in order to get attention from other whingers. Surely you may have a better one!

Rob Baiton said...

Spew-it-All...

Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment.

Yep! I think it is classic and that is why it is in the albeit too brief list of quotes.

On the modern day front and with bloggers, I don't know. I don't consider myself a whinger seeking to humour or get the attention of other whingers :D

With respect to a better one, nah.

Unknown said...

Classic!!

You should give us one a week, maybe it could be a Friday special.

GJ

Rob Baiton said...

GJ...

Perhaps.

Unknown said...

hehe... finally you got it!

i love that book, always think that it's one of the best book to have on the dictionary shelf :)

Rob Baiton said...

Tree...

I think it was always there on the shelf somewhere. It was only a matter of "rediscovering" it in amongst all the other books.