Honour is a luxury for aristocrats, but it is a necessity for hall-porters. Gilbert K. Chesterton More Quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton More Quotes From Gilbert K. Chesterton The big corporation is not in the least remarkable for efficiency; it is only too big to be blamed for its inefficiency. Gilbert K. Chesterton efficiency corporations bigs Americans are a very backward people, with all the real virtues of a backward people; the patriarchal simplicity and human dignity of a democracy, and a respect for labor uncorrupted by cynicism. Gilbert K. Chesterton respect real people In truth the Church is too unique to prove herself unique. For most popular and easy proof is by parallel; and here there is no parallel. Gilbert K. Chesterton church unique easy Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all. And faith means believing the incredible, or it is no virtue at all. Gilbert K. Chesterton inspiration faith believe Man is not merely an evolution but rather a revolution. Gilbert K. Chesterton inspiration faith men A man will not roll in the snow for a stream of tendency by which all things fulfill the law of their being. He will not go without food in the name of something, not ourselves, that makes for righteousness. He will do things like this, or pretty nearly like this, under quite a different impulse. He will do these things when he is in love. Gilbert K. Chesterton inspiration faith men A society is in decay, final or transitional, when common sense really becomes uncommon. Gilbert K. Chesterton common-sense inspiration faith Doing nothing is sometimes one of the highest of the duties of man. Gilbert K. Chesterton inspiration faith men The idea of private property universal but private, the idea of families free but still families, of domesticity democratic but still domestic, of one man one house - this remains the real vision and magnet of mankind. The world may accept something more official and general, less human and intimate. But the world will be like a broken-hearted woman who makes a humdrum marriage because she may not make a happy one; Socialism may be the world's deliverance, but it is not the world's desire. Gilbert K. Chesterton inspiration real faith It might reasonably be maintained that the true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. To be at last in such secure innocence that one can juggle with the universe and the stars, to be so good that one can treat everything as a joke - that may be, perhaps, the real end and final holiday of human souls. Gilbert K. Chesterton stars real faith If we could destroy custom at a blow and see the stars as a child sees them, we should need no other apocalypse. Gilbert K. Chesterton stars nature inspirational It is much easier to write a good Times leading article than a good joke in Punch. Gilbert K. Chesterton easier good-times writing Whether a man chooses to tell the truth in long sentences or short jokes is a problem analogous to whether he chooses to tell the truth in French or in German. Gilbert K. Chesterton problem men long Every man is important if he loses his life;and every man is funny if he loses his hat and has to run after it. Gilbert K. Chesterton important running men America is the only nation in the world that is founded on creed. That creed is set forth with dogmatic and even theological lucidity in the Declaration of Independence; perhaps the only piece of practical politics that is also theoretical politics and also great literature. Gilbert K. Chesterton independence pieces america It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted and only a few things forbidden. Gilbert K. Chesterton forbidden morality states Boyhood is a most complex and incomprehensible thing. Even when one has been through it, one does not understand what it was. A man can never quite understand a boy, even when he has been the boy. Gilbert K. Chesterton men boys son When you have really exhausted an experience you always reverence and love it. The two things that nearly all of us have thoroughly and really been through are childhood and youth. And though we would not have them back again on any account, we feel that they are both beautiful, because we have drunk them dry. Gilbert K. Chesterton beautiful love two The full value of this life can only be got by fighting; the violent take it by storm. And if we have accepted everything we have missed something - war. This life of ours is a very enjoyable fight, but a very miserable truce. Gilbert K. Chesterton storm fighting war Half a truth is better than no politics. Gilbert K. Chesterton truth-is politics half
