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In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.

Ambrose Bierce

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Ambrose Bierce
Born: 1842
Born: June 24
Aphorist
Journalist
Poet
Science Fiction Writer
Writer
Meigs County
Ohio
Dod Grile
William Herman
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce
Ambrose Bierce
Character
Pigs
Human
Ass
Humans
Dues
Heart
Diversity
Nightingale
Integrity
Nightingales
Activity
Unequal
Humor
Tiger
Funny
Tigers

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Miss, n. A title which we brand unmarried women to indicate that they are in the market.
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CALLOUS, adj. Gifted with great fortitude to bear the evils afflicting another. When Zeno was told that one of his enemies was no more he was observed to be deeply moved. What! said one of his disciples, you weep at the death of an enemy? Ah, 'tis true, replied the great Stoic but you should see me smile at the death of a friend..
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Rum, n. Generically, fiery liquors that produce madness in total abstainers.
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RUMOR, n. A favorite weapon of the assassins of character.
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Censor, n. An officer of certain governments, employed to supress the works of genius. Among the Romans the censor was an inspector of public morals, but the public morals of modern nations will not bear inspection.
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ENVY, n. Emulation adapted to the meanest capacity.
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LICKSPITTLE, n. A useful functionary, not infrequently found editing a newspaper . . . the lickspittle is only the blackmailer under another aspect, although the latter is frequently found as an independent species.
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San Francisco is the place where most people were last seen
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R.I.P. A careless abbreviation of requiescat in pace, attesting to indolent goodwill to the dead. According to the learned Dr. Drigge, however, the letters originally meant nothing more than reductus in pulvis.
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X, n. In our alphabet being a needless letter has an added invincibility to the attacks of the spelling reformers, and like them, will doubtless last as long as the language.
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Hope is desire and expectation rolled into one.
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He who thinks with difficulty believes with alacrity. A fool is a natural proselyte, but he must be caught young, for his convictions, unlike those of the wise, harden with age.
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PREHISTORIC, adj. Belonging to an early period and a museum. Antedating the art and practice of perpetuating falsehood.
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DISOBEDIENCE, n. The silver lining to the cloud of servitude.
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Happiness has not to all the same name: to Youth she is known as the Future Age knows her as the Dream.
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The fact that boys are allowed to exist at all is evidence of remarkable Christian forbearance among men - were it not for a mawkish humanitarianism, coupled with imperfect digestive powers, we should devour our young, as Nature intended.
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RADICALISM, n. The conservatism of to-morrow injected into the affairs of to-day.
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OBSTINATE, adj. Inaccessible to the truth as it is manifest in the splendor and stress of our advocacy.
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The poor man's price of admittance to the favor of the rich is his self-respect.
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PRESIDENCY, n. The greased pig in the field game of American politics.
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