Because it came up the other day, and I find it funny, I'm posting the definition of love from Ambrose Bierce's "The Devil's Dictionary". I urge you to peruse the other entries - humor doesn't get drier or more bleak.
LOVE, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage or by removal of the patient from the influences under which he incurred the disorder. This disease, like caries and many other ailments, is prevalent only among civilized races living under artificial conditions; barbarous nations breathing pure air and eating simple food enjoy immunity from its ravages. It is sometimes fatal, but more frequently to the physician than to the patient.
Distantly related, I discovered that "Perogative" is not officially a word in English. The correct word is "Prerogative" and the "pre" part is pronounced as in "printer". Who knew?
Apparently Ambrose did:
PREROGATIVE, n. A sovereign's right to do wrong.
Posted by Matt at February 17, 2005 09:20 AMYour comments are coming through fine, I think, but sometimes there is a delay... I'll look into it if you're not seeing stuff you posted.
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 09:03 AMYes, I suffer of this disease of which you speak. It is killing me. Today especially. Ick. The pain. At least I take comfort in knowing that a language is not defined as much by it's orthography as by it's spoken usage. It is my perogative to officially unrelate myself from this curse with as much distance as I can manage. If I want to live. (I love being so dire.)
More blog please.
PS. Why aren't my comments coming through?
Posted by: Kim at February 17, 2005 11:29 PM