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All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.

Ambrose Bierce

MIND, n. A mysterious form of matter secreted by the brain. Its chief activity consists in the endeavour to ascertain its own nature, the futility of the attempt being due to the fact that it has nothing but itself to know itself with.
AMBROSE BIERCE

Brain Fact Himself Mindset Mysterious Nature
Opposition, n. In politics the party that prevents the government from running amuck by hamstringing it.
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Governement Party Prevent Rival Run
Quotation, n: The act of repeating erroneously the words of another.
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Act Repeat Word
Absurdity, n.: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one’s own opinion.
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Belief Manifestation Opinion Statement
Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.
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Children Cold Compassionate Feeling Love Mom
RATIONAL, adj. Devoid of all delusions save those of observation, experience and reflection.
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Delusion Experience Observation Reflection Save
They say that hens do cackle loudest when there is nothing vital in the eggs they have laid.
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Animal Born Egg Loud Lying
Philosophy: A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.
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Leadership Philosophy Road
Fidelity – a virtue peculiar to those who are about to be betrayed.
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Betrayal Character Cheating Virtue
Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.
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Death End Estate Himself
Coward: One who, in a perilous emergency, thinks with his legs.
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Coward Emergency Himself Legs Thinking
War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography.
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God Place Teaching War
Marriage, n: the state or condition of a community consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves, making in all, two.
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Community Marriage Master Mistress Slave
In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.
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Activity Diversity Equality Heart Human
A wedding is a ceremony at which two persons undertake to become one, one undertakes to become nothing, and nothing undertakes to become supportable.
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Marriage People Person Support
Consul – in American politics, a person who having failed to secure an office from the people is given one by the Administration on condition that he leave the country.
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Administration Condition Country Failure Himself Leaving Person Politics Security
Litigation: A machine which you go into as a pig and come out of as a sausage.
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Machine Technology Transformation
Optimist – A proponent of the doctrine that black is white.
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Black Color Optimism White
Labor is one of the processes by which A acquires property for B.
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Labor Pregnant Property
REFLECTION,n: An Action of the mind whereby we obtain a clearer view of our relation to the things of yesterday and are able to avoid the perils that we shall not again encounter.
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Avoid Mindset Ourselves Reflection Relationship
April fool, n. The March fool with another month added to his folly.
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Add Fools Funny Himself Time
The only distinction that democracies reward is a high degree of conformity.
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Confirm Degree Democracy Reward
Belladonna, n.: In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues.
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Beautiful Death Essential Example Poison
Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think.
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Brain Science Thinking
Distance, n. The only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs and keep.
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Call Distance Poor Rich Willing
Responsibility, n. A detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, Fate, Fortune, Luck or one’s neighbor. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it upon a star.
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Astrology Custom Easy Fate God Responsibility
In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office.
AMBROSE BIERCE

Care Civilization Government Intelligence Ourselves Reward

All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.

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All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.

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