“Clock, n.: A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time remains to him.”

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Clock, n.: A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of ti…" by Ambrose Bierce?
Ambrose Bierce photo
Ambrose Bierce 204
American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabu… 1842–1914

Related quotes

John F. Kennedy photo

“When power leads men towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.”

John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) 35th president of the United States of America

1963, Speech at Amherst College
Context: When power leads men towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses. For art establishes the basic human truth which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment.

Martin Luther King, Jr. photo
Maximilien Robespierre photo
Chinmayananda Saraswati photo

“Adversity, on the contrary, sobers him and reminds him of God and his Glory.”

Chinmayananda Saraswati (1916–1993) Indian spiritual teacher

Quotations from Gurudev’s teachings, Chinmya Mission Chicago

G. I. Gurdjieff photo

“Man such as we know him, is a machine.”

G. I. Gurdjieff (1866–1949) influential spiritual teacher, Armenian philosopher, composer and writer

In Search of the Miraculous (1949)

Christian Scriver photo

“God has given you your child, that the sight of him, from time to time, might remind you of His goodness, and induce you to praise Him with filial reverence.”

Christian Scriver (1629–1693) German hymnwriter

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 50.

“If a man’s deeds do not outlive him, of what value is a mark in stone?”

Sean Russell (1952) author

Source: World Without End (1995), Chapter 24 (p. 341)

Horatio Nelson photo

“…When he was on the eve of departure for one of his great expeditions the coachmaker said to him, "The carriage shall be at the door punctually at six o clock"; "A quarter before," said Nelson. "I have always been a quarter of an hour before my time and it has made a man of me."”

Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) Royal Navy Admiral

letter from Sir Thomas Buxton to his son quoted in "Life of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton" from Sylvanus Urban (ed.) The Gentleman's Magazine" July to December 1848, p. 577
1800s

Jerome K. Jerome photo

“A shy man's lot is not a happy one. The men dislike him, the women despise him, and he dislikes and despises himself. Use brings him no relief, and there is no cure for him except time.”

Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886)
Context: All great literary men are shy. I am myself, though I am told it is hardly noticeable. I am glad it is not. It used to be extremely prominent at one time, and was the cause of much misery to myself and discomfort to every one about me—my lady friends especially complained most bitterly about it. A shy man's lot is not a happy one. The men dislike him, the women despise him, and he dislikes and despises himself. Use brings him no relief, and there is no cure for him except time.

Virat Kohli photo

“He has a lot of ability. The team depends on him. He is a star. He is going to emerge as an all-time great in the future. I see that much potential in him. It is very difficult to spot his weakness. He plays on both sides of the wicket. He plays both on the front and the back foot. He has a good temperament, technique.”

Virat Kohli (1988) Indian cricket player

Showering praise on India's star batsman Virat Kohli, legendary cricketer Imran Khan said he had the potential to emerge as an all-time great, quoted on ibnlive, "Virat Kohli has the potential to emerge as all-time great: Imran Khan" http://www.ibnlive.com/cricketnext/news/virat-kohli-has-the-potential-to-emerge-as-all-time-great-imran-khan-1218529.html, March 19, 2016.
About him

Related topics