Quote

PLEBEIAN, n. An ancient Roman who in the blood of his country stained nothing but his hands. Distinguished from the Patrician, who was a saturated solution.

Ambrose Bierce

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

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
Solution
Solutions
Plebeian
Ancient
Patrician
Blood
Plebeians
Hands
Stained
Nothing
Saturated
Country
Roman
Distinguished

More quotes by Ambrose Bierce

Image
Hope is desire and expectation rolled into one.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
RIBALDRY, n. Censorious language by another concerning oneself.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
RECREATION, n. A particular kind of dejection to relieve a general fatigue.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
WEAKNESSES, n.pl. Certain primal powers of Tyrant Woman wherewith she holds dominion over the male of her species, binding him to the service of her will and paralyzing his rebellious energies.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
One who, professing virtues that he does not respect, secures the advantage of seeming to be what he despises.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
PREFERENCE, n. A sentiment, or frame of mind, induced by the erroneous belief that one thing is better than another.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
BAIT, n. A preparation that renders the hook more palatable. The best kind is beauty.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
PHONOGRAPH, n. An irritating toy that restores life to dead noises.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
Land: A part of the earth's 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
Image
PANTOMIME, n. A play in which the story is told without violence to the language. The least disagreeable form of dramatic action.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
The circus a place where horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
INDISCRETION, n. The guilt of woman.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
Prescription: A physician's guess at what will best prolong the situation with least harm to the patient.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
Mausoleum, n: the final and funniest folly of the rich.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
When among the graves of thy fellows, walk with circumspection thine own is open at thy feet.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
PHRENOLOGY, n. The science of picking the pocket through the scalp. It consists in locating and exploiting the organ that one is a dupe with.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
MAGNETISM, n. Something acting upon a magnet. The two definitions immediately foregoing are condensed from the works of one thousand eminent scientists, who have illuminated the subject with a great white light, to the inexpressible advancement of human knowledge.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
The world has suffered more from the ravages of ill-advised marriages than from virginity.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
ZEUS /n./ The chief of Grecian gods, adored by the Romans as Jupiter and by the modern Americans as God, Gold, Mob and Dog.
Ambrose Bierce
Image
If every hypocrite in the United States were to break his leg to-day the country could be successfully invaded to-morrow by the warlike hypocrites of Canada.
Ambrose Bierce