Modern intelligence won't accept anything on authority. But it will accept anything without authority. Gilbert K. Chesterton More Quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton More Quotes From Gilbert K. Chesterton A man's minor actions and arrangements ought to be free, flexible, creative; the things that should be unchangeable are his principles, his ideals. But with us the reverse is true; our views change constantly; but our lunch does not change. Now, I should like men to have strong and rooted conceptions, but as for their lunch, let them have it sometimes in the garden, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the roof, sometimes in the top of a tree. Let them argue from the same first principles, but let them do it in a bed, or a boat, or a balloon. Gilbert K. Chesterton gardenstrongmen The more truly we can see life as a fairytale, the more clearly the tale resolves itself into war with the dragon who is wasting fairyland. Gilbert K. Chesterton fairytaledragonswar Civilization has run on ahead of the soul of man, and is producing faster than he can think and give thanks. Gilbert K. Chesterton runningmenthinking Of all modern notions, the worst is this: that domesticity is dull. Inside the home, they say, is dead decorum and routine; outside is adventure and variety. But the truth is that the home is the only place of liberty, the only spot on earth where a man can alter arrangements suddenly, make an experiment or indulge in a whim. The home is not the one tame place in a world of adventure; it is the one wild place in a world of rules and set tasks. Gilbert K. Chesterton homeadventuremen Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity. Gilbert K. Chesterton readinginspirationalbook And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow. Gilbert K. Chesterton rainhappinessinspirational Every great literature has always been allegorical - allegorical of some view of the whole universe. The 'Iliad' is only great because all life is a battle, the 'Odyssey' because all life is a journey, the Book of Job because all life is a riddle. Gilbert K. Chesterton journeyjobsbook From the standpoint of any sane person, the present problem of capitalist concentration is not only a question of law, but of criminal law, not to mention criminal lunacy. Gilbert K. Chesterton criminalsproblemlaw ...It's natural to believe in the supernatural. It never feels natural to accept only natural things. Gilbert K. Chesterton acceptingnaturalbelieve We are like the penny, because we have the image of the king stamped on us, the divine king. Gilbert K. Chesterton penniesdivinekings The fatal metaphor of progress, which means leaving things behind us, has utterly obscured the real idea of growth, which means leaving things inside us. Gilbert K. Chesterton realinspirationalmean Happy is he who still loves something he loved in the nursery: He has not been broken in two by time; he is not two men, but one, and he has saved not only his soul but his life. Gilbert K. Chesterton happinessmentwo My brain and this world don't fit each other; and there's an end of it. Gilbert K. Chesterton fitbrainworld Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed. Gilbert K. Chesterton dragonshopechildren If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God. Gilbert K. Chesterton sunsetmotivationalmen Forms of expression always appear turgid to those who do not share the emotions they represent. Gilbert K. Chesterton emotionexpressionfear A teacher who is not dogmatic is simply a teacher who is not teaching. Gilbert K. Chesterton teachingteacherretirement Most Americans are born drunk, and really require a little wine or beer to sober them. They have a sort of permanent intoxication from within, a sort of invisible champagne. Americans do not need to drink to inspire them to do anything, though they do sometimes, I think, need a little for the deeper and more delicate purpose of teaching them how to do nothing. Gilbert K. Chesterton wineteachingbeer Our society is so abnormal that the normal man never dreams of having the normal occupation of looking after his own property. When he chooses a trade, he chooses one of the ten thousand trades that involve looking after other people's property. Gilbert K. Chesterton dreammenpeople Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. Gilbert K. Chesterton religiousfaithlove
