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Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce Quotes

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Famous Ambrose Bierce Quotes

“PRIMATE, n. The head of a church, especially a State church supported by involuntary contributions. The Primate of England is the Archbishop of Canterbury, an amiable old gentleman, who occupies Lambeth Palace when living and Westminster Abbey when dead. He is commonly dead.”

StatesChurchEnglandGentlemanContributionPalacesAmiableInvoluntaryPrimatesAbbeyWestminsterCanterburyWestminster Abbey
Book:The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World
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“PERFECTION, n. An imaginary state of quality distinguished from the actual by an element known as excellence; an attribute of the critic. The editor of an English magazine having received a letter pointing out the erroneous nature of his views and style, and signed "Perfection," promptly wrote at the foot of the letter: "I don't agree with you," and mailed it to Matthew Arnold.”

StatesViewsQualityKnownFeetStyleElementsPerfectionLettersAgreeExcellenceCriticsMagazinesEditorsAttributesImaginaryPointingDistinguishedMatthew
Book:The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary
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“TEDIUM, n. Ennui, the state or condition of one that is bored. Many fanciful derivations of the word have been affirmed, but so high an authority as Father Jape says that it comes from a very obvious source --the first words of the ancient Latin hymn _Te Deum Laudamus_. In this apparently natural derivation there is something that saddens.”

FirstsHas BeensStatesFatherNaturalConditionsSourceAuthorityAncientObviousBoredFancyLatinHymnsEnnuiTedium
Book:Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)
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“In theology, the state of a luckless mortal prenatally damned. The doctrine of reprobation was taught by Calvin, whose joy in it was somewhat marred by the sad sincerity of his conviction that although some are foredoomed to perdition, others are predestined to salvation.”

StatesJoyAtheismTaughtSalvationConvictionPositive AtheismTheologyDoctrineMortalsSincerityPredestinedPerdition
Book:The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World
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“Pertaining to a certain order of architecture, otherwise known as Normal American. Most of the public buildings of the United States are of the Ramshackle order, though some of our earlier architects preferred the Ironic. Recent additions to the White House in Washington are Theo-Doric, the ecclesiastic order of the Dorians. They are exceedingly fine and cost one hundred dollars a brick.”

StatesCertainOrderHouseWhiteUnitedKnownUnited StatesBuildingFineCostNormalHundredDollarsArchitectureWhite HouseIronicArchitectBricks
Book:The Devil's Dictionary
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“MAJESTY, n. The state and title of a king. Regarded with a just contempt by the Most Eminent Grand Masters, Grand Chancellors, Great Incohonees and Imperial Potentates of the ancient and honorable orders of republican America.”

StatesAmericaOrderJusticeMastersKingsRepublicanAncientTitlesRepublicContemptHonorableMajesty
Book:Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, Tales, and Memoirs: The Devil's Dictionary, Tales, and Memoirs
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