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Justice is a commodity which in a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.

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
Citizens
Commodity
Conditions
Citizen
Personal
Reward
Justice
Sells
State
Condition
Less
Rewards
States
Service
Adulterated
Taxes
Allegiance

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IGNORAMUS, n. A person unacquainted with certain kinds of knowledge familiar to yourself, and having certain other kinds that you know nothing about.
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MARTYR, One who moves along the line of least reluctance to a desired death.
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Cat: a soft indestructible automaton provided by nature to be kicked when things go wrong in the domestic circle.
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PLUNDER, v. To take the property of another without observing the decent and customary reticences of theft. To wrest the wealth of A from B and leave C lamenting a vanishing opportunity.
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HARMONISTS, n. A sect of Protestants, now extinct, who came from Europe in the beginning of the last century and were distinguished for the bitterness of their internal controversies and dissensions.
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BABE or BABY, n. A misshapen creature of no particular age, sex, or condition, chiefly remarkable for the violence of the sympathies and antipathies it excites in others, itself without sentiment or emotion.
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The sum of religion, says Pythagoras, is to be like him thou worshipest. Had Pythagoras lived in our day he would have seen his mistake. The sum of modern religion is to make him thou worshipest like unto thyself.
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I think I think, therefore I think I am.
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APOTHECARY, n. The physician's accomplice, undertaker's benefactor and grave worm's provider
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PIE, n. An advance agent of the reaper whose name is Indigestion.
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MAMMON, n. The god of the world's leading religion. The chief temple is in the holy city of New York.
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While your friend holds you affectionately by both your hands, you are safe, for you can watch both his.
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EXCEPTION, n. A thing which takes the liberty to differ from other things of its class, as an honest man, a truthful woman, etc.
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TRICHINOSIS, n. The pig's reply to proponents of porcophagy.
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A wedding is a ceremony at which two persons undertake to become one, one undertakes to become nothing, and nothing undertakes to become supportable.
Ambrose Bierce
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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.
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CLOSE-FISTED, adj. Unduly desirous of keeping that which many meritorious persons wish to obtain.
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A rabbit's foot may bring good luck to you, but it brought none to the rabbit.
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CONGRESS, n. A body of men who meet to repeal laws.
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Abnormal, adj. Not conforming to standard. In matters of thought and conduct, to be independent is to be abnormal, to be abnormal is to be detested.
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