A DICTIONARY OF WIT, WISDOM & SATIRE

This contains more than 5,000 definitional witticisms -- sarcastic, ironic, or satirical, which are listed alphabetically by defined word. The editors have given credit for the epigram when the original author is known. More often, however, these definitions have been so bandied about that proper identification is virtually impossible. Sources range from Plato to Walter Winchell, with a proliferation of vitueration from H.L. Mencken, Ambrose Bierce, and Oscar Wilde. Sample entries: Decathlon: ""Any combination of ten athletic events, such as painting the garage and falling off the ladder"", Fountain Pen: ""An instrument that writes and having writ, blots"", Judge: ""A law student who marks his own exam papers"", Legend: ""A lie that has attained the dignity of age"", Love: ""The triumph of imagination over intelligence"", Poet: ""A person born with the instinct of poverty"" and Wrestler: ""A mass of mute meat."" Although not as extensive as Bartlett's, this compilation is infinitely less arduous and is certainly a wise choice for the inspiration-hunter to use as a step before the Familiar Quotations. Good casual reading, too.