Religious liberty might be supposed to mean that everybody is free to discuss religion. In practice it means that hardly anybody is allowed to mention it. Gilbert K. Chesterton More Quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton More Quotes From Gilbert K. Chesterton humor can get in under the door while seriousness is still fumbling at the handle Gilbert K. Chesterton seriousnesshandledoors The materialist theory of history, that all politics and ethics are the expression of economics, is a very simple fallacy indeed. It consists simply of confusing the necessary conditions of life with the normal preoccupations of life, that are quite a different thing. Gilbert K. Chesterton simpleexpressionmen Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Gilbert K. Chesterton griefjoymen The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. Gilbert K. Chesterton sarcasmfoodfunny One of the great disadvantages of hurry is that it takes such a long time. Gilbert K. Chesterton hatetimelife Government has become ungovernable; that is, it cannot leave off governing. Law has become lawless; that is, it cannot see where laws should stop. The chief feature of our time is the meekness of the mob and the madness of the government. Gilbert K. Chesterton madnessgovernmentlaw The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see. Gilbert K. Chesterton inspirationalfunnytravel The position we have now reached is this: starting from the State, we try to remedy the failures of all the families, all the nurseries, all the schools, all the workshops, all the secondary institutions that once had some authority of their own. Everything is ultimately brought into the Law Courts. We are trying to stop the leak at the other end. Gilbert K. Chesterton lawtryingschool An enormous amount of modern ingenuity is expended on finding defences for the indefensible conduct of the powerful. As I have said above, these defences generally exhibit themselves most emphatically in the form of appeals to physical science. And of all the forms in which science, or pseudo-science, has come to the rescue of the rich and stupid, there is none so singular as the singular invention of the theory of races. Gilbert K. Chesterton powerfulracestupid Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved. Gilbert K. Chesterton orthodoxysinchristian The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world. Gilbert K. Chesterton artistlyingworld Love means to love that which is unlovable; or it is no virtue at all. Gilbert K. Chesterton humilitylovemean The wisest thing in the world is to cry out before you are hurt. It is no good to cry out after you are hurt; especially after you are mortally hurt. People talk about the impatience of the populace; but sound historians know that most tyrannies have been possible because men moved too late. it is often essential to resist a tyranny before it exists. Gilbert K. Chesterton hurtmenpeople The vulgar man is always the most distinguished, for the very desire to be distinguished is vulgar. Gilbert K. Chesterton vulgarity-isclassmen Modern toleration is really a tyranny. It is a tyranny because it is a silence. Gilbert K. Chesterton moderntyrannysilence You cannot love a thing without wanting to fight for it. Gilbert K. Chesterton fighting-onfightinglove There is no better test of a man's ultimate chivalry and integrity than how he behaves when he is wrong... A stiff apology is a second insult. Gilbert K. Chesterton apologyintegritymen All government is an ugly necessity. Gilbert K. Chesterton uglygovernment The sincere love of books has nothing to do with cleverness or stupidity any more than any other sincere love. It is a quality of character, a freshness, a power of pleasure, a power of faith. A silly person may delight in reading masterpieces just as a silly person may delight in picking flowers. A fool may be in love with a poet as he may be in love with a woman. Gilbert K. Chesterton flowersillybook The things we see every day are the things we never see at all. Gilbert K. Chesterton
