K. Chesterton
K. Chesterton
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.
spiritual definitions coincidence
Coincidence is a spiritual pun.
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..
stars distance science
Science boasts of the distance of its stars; of the terrific remoteness of the things of which it has to speak. But poetry and religion always insist upon the proximity, the almost menacing closeness of the things with which they are concerned. Always the Kingdom of Heaven is "At Hand."
strong heart apology
Destiny is but a phrase of the weak human heart - the dark apology for every error. The strong and virtuous admit no destiny. On earth conscience guides; in heaven God watches. And destiny is but the phantom we invoke to silence the one and dethrone the other.
sex wish important
Life is serious all the time, but living cannot be. You may have all the solemnity you wish in your neckties, but in anything important (such as sex, death, and religion), you must have mirth or you will have madness.
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.