Gilbert K. Chesterton
Gilbert K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG, better known as G. K. Chesterton, was an English writer, poet, philosopher, dramatist, journalist, orator, lay theologian, biographer, and literary and art critic. Chesterton is often referred to as the "prince of paradox." Time magazine has observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out."...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth29 May 1874
laughter inspiration pride
Laughter has something in it common with the ancient words of faith and inspiration; it unfreezes pride and unwinds secrecy; it makes people forget themselves in the presence of something greater than themselves.
intelligent thinking going-away
[Consider] a fence or gate erected across a road] The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, "I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away." To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: "If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it."
practice religion may
I may not practice what I preach but God forbid I should preach what I practice
science technology firsts
The thing that cannot be defined is the first thing; the primary fact.
names proud poor
And we were angry and poor and happy, And proud of seeing our names in print.
science law america
Science is the study of the admitted laws of existence, which cannot prove a universal negative about whether those laws could ever be suspended by something admittedly above them. It is as if we were to say that a lawyer was so deeply learned in the American Constitution that he knew there could never be a revolution in America..
temptation too-much noble
The noble temptation to see too much in everything.
rolling made drunkards
Before the Roman came to Rye or out to severn strode, / The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.
pride men political
The diseased pride [of artistic individualists] was not even conscious of a public interest, and would have found all political terms utterly tasteless and insignificant. It was no longer a question of one man one vote, but of one man one universe.
romance insecurity strange
Romance is the combination of something that is strange with something that is secure.
powerful passion men
Powerful men who have powerful passions use much of their strength in forging chains for themselves.
simplicity world modern
The modern world... has no notion except that of simplifying something by destroying nearly everything.
mistake ideas nine
Nine out of ten of what we call new ideas are simply old mistakes.
sea dust humanity
I have investigated the dust-heaps of humanity, and found a treasure in all of them. I have found that humanity is not incidentally engaged, but eternally and systematically engaged, in throwing gold into the gutter and diamonds into the sea.