This Day in History: Ambrose Bierce was born on this day in 1842. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book The Devil's Dictionary was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. His story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" has been described as "one of the most famous and frequently anthologized stories in American literature", and his book Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (also published as In the Midst of Life) was named by the Grolier Club as one of the 100 most influential American books printed before 1900.
A prolific and versatile writer, Bierce was regarded as one of the most influential journalists in the United States, and as a pioneering writer of realist fiction. For his horror writing, Michael Dirda ranked him alongside Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft. S. T. Joshi speculates that he may well be the greatest satirist America has ever produced, and in this regard can take his place with such figures as Juvenal, Swift, and Voltaire. His war stories influenced Stephen Crane, Ernest Hemingway, and others, and he was considered an influential and feared literary critic. In recent decades Bierce has gained wider respect as a fabulist and for his poetry.
In 1913, Bierce told reporters that he was travelling to Mexico to gain first-hand experience of the Mexican Revolution. He disappeared and was never seen again.
Here are excerpts from his Devil's Dictionary relating to politics:
Adherent: A follower who has not yet obtained all that he expects to get.
Amnesty: The state’s magnanimity to those offenders whom it would be too expensive to punish.
Arena: In politics, an imaginary rat-pit in which the statesman wrestles with his record.
Capitol: The seat of misgovernment.
Conservative: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from a Liberal who wishes to replace them with others.
Consul: ...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.
Corsair: A politician of the seas.
Elector: One who enjoys the sacred privilege of voting for the man of another man’s choice.
Executive: An officer of the Government, whose duty it is to enforce the wishes of the legislative power until such time as the judicial department shall be pleased to pronounce them invalid and of no effect.
Incumbent: A person of the liveliest interest to the outcumbents.
Influence: In politics, a visionary quo given in exchange for a substantial quid.
Justice: A commodity which is a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.
Lawful: Compatible with the will of a judge having jurisdiction.
Minister: ...an officer sent into a foreign country as the visible embodiment of his sovereign’s hostility.
Opposition: ...the party that prevents the Government from running amok by hamstringing it.
Out-of-doors: That part of one’s environment upon which no government has been able to collect taxes.
Plebiscite: A popular vote to ascertain the will of the sovereign.
Politician: An eel in the fundamental mud upon which the superstructure of organized society is reared.
Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
Precedent: In law, a previous decision, rule or practice which, with the absence of a definitive statute, has whatever authority a Judge may choose to give it, thereby greatly simplifying his task of doing as he pleases.
President: The leading figure in a small group of men of whom—and of whom only—it is positively known that immense numbers of their countrymen did not want any of them for President.
Quorum: A sufficient number of members of a deliberative body to have their own way.
Referendum: A law for submission of proposed legislation to a popular vote to learn the nonsensus of public opinion.
Reform: A thing that mostly satisfies reformers opposed to reformation.
Representative: In national politics, a member of the Lower House in this world, and without discernible hope of promotion in the next.
Revolution: In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment... whereby the welfare and happiness of the people were advanced a full half-inch.
Senate: A body of elderly gentlemen charged with high duties and misdemeanors.
Vote: The instrument and symbol of a freeman’s power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.
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See also: The Best Victorian Literature, Over 100 Books to Download
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