Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes

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.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Strong Quotes , Men Quotes

Either criticism is no good at all (a very defensible position) or else criticism means saying about an author the very things that would have made him jump out of his boots.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Mean Quotes , Criticism Quotes

The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion, but, on the contrary, of its liberality and humanity. It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted, and only a few things are forbidden.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Christian Quotes , Humanity Quotes

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.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Dust Quotes , Sea Quotes

The issue is now clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his side.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Inspiring Quotes , Christian Quotes

Not only is suicide a sin, it is the sin. It is the ultimate and absolute evil, the refusal to take an interest in existence; the refusal to take the oath of loyalty to life. The man who kills a man, kills a man. The man who kills himself, kills all men. As far as he is concerned he wipes out the world.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Loyalty Quotes , Suicide Quotes

There is no obligation on us to be richer, or busier, or more efficient, or more productive, or more progressive, or any way worldlier or wealthier, if it does not make us happier.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Simple Quotes , Doe Quotes

Only poor men get hanged.

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Our digestions, going sacredly and silently right, that is the foundation of all poetry.

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the object of a new year is not that we should have a new year, but rather that we should have a new soul.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Inspiring Quotes , New Year Quotes

The theory of free speech, that truth is so much larger and stranger and more many-sided than we know of, that it is very much better at all costs to hear everyone's account of it, is a theory which has been justified on the whole by experiment, but which remains a very daring and even a very surprising theory. It is really one of the great discoveries of the modern time.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Equality Quotes , Discovery Quotes

What are we going to do?" asked the Professor. "At this moment," said Syme, with a scientific detachment, "I think we are going to smash into a lamppost.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Moments Quotes

The whole truth is generally the ally of virtue; a half-truth is always the ally of some vice.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Catholic Quotes , Half Quotes

No man can break any of the Ten Commandments. He can only break himself against them.

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The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , May Quotes , Recurrence Quotes

It is really not so repulsive to see the poor asking for money as to see the rich asking for more money. And advertisement is the rich asking for more money.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Asking Quotes , Advertising Quotes

If you'd take your head home and boil it for a turnip it might be useful. I can't say. But it might.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Home Quotes , Might Quotes

My life is passed in making bad jokes and seeing them turn into true prophecies.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Life Is Quotes , Bad Jokes Quotes

I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Inspirational Quotes , Motivational Quotes

Excuse me if I enjoy myself rather obviously! I don't often have the luck to have a dream like this. It is new to me for a nightmare to lead me to a lobster. It is commonly the other way.

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Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Dream Quotes , Luck Quotes