Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes

A collection of quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton.

G.K. Chesterton (Gilbert Keith Chesterton) was a renowned English writer, journalist, and philosopher, born on May 29, 1874, in London, England. He is best known for his wit, brilliant intellect, and prolific work in various literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and plays. Chesterton's writing covered a wide range of subjects, from social criticism and politics to religion and detective fiction.

During his lifetime, Chesterton penned numerous influential books, essays, and articles, which showcased his unique style characterized by paradoxical wit and profound insights. Some of his notable works include "Orthodoxy," "The Man Who Was Thursday," and the "Father Brown" detective series.

Chesterton's writings often challenged contemporary intellectual and philosophical trends of his time. He emphasized the importance of common sense, traditional values, and the inherent goodness of life. He staunchly defended orthodox Christian beliefs and criticized rationalism and materialism.

Beyond his literary pursuits, Chesterton was revered for his larger-than-life personality and his vigorously debated public appearances. He was known for his robust figure, wearing a cape and a hat, and frequently engaging in verbal jousting matches with fellow intellectuals.

G.K. Chesterton died on June 14, 1936, leaving behind a vast body of work that continues to inspire readers and thinkers to this day. His contributions to literature and his unique perspective on various subjects continue to be cherished and studied by scholars and fans alike.

The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new ye

The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a stron

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Briefly, you can only find truth with logic if you have alre

Briefly, you can only find truth with logic if you have already found truth without it.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

The family is the test of freedom because the family is the

The family is the test of freedom because the family is the only thing that the free man makes for himself and by himself.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all clas

Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to that arrogant oligarchy who merely happen to be walking around.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Man does not live by soap alone and hygiene, or even health,

Man does not live by soap alone and hygiene, or even health, is not much good unless you can take a healthy view of it or, better still, feel a healthy indifference to it.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

It is not funny that anything else should fall down only tha

It is not funny that anything else should fall down only that a man should fall down. Why do we laugh? Because it is a gravely religious matter: it is the Fall of Man. Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

One sees great things from the valley only small things from

One sees great things from the valley only small things from the peak.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Happiness is a mystery, like religion, and should never be r

Happiness is a mystery, like religion, and should never be rationalised.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

No man ought to write at all, or even to speak at all, unles

No man ought to write at all, or even to speak at all, unless he thinks that he is in truth and the other man in error. In similar style, I hold that I am dogmatic and right, while Mr. Shaw is dogmatic and wrong.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Truth Man Rights Style Wrongs

Is there anyone... who will maintain that the Party System c

Is there anyone... who will maintain that the Party System could have been created by people particularly fond of truth?

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Truth People System

Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great b

Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Religious and philosophical beliefs are, indeed, as dangerou

Religious and philosophical beliefs are, indeed, as dangerous as fire, and nothing can take from them that beauty of danger. But there is only one way of really guarding ourselves against the excessive danger of them, and that is to be steeped in philosophy and soaked in religion.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Beauty Religion Philosophy Belief Danger

As for science and religion, the known and admitted facts ar

As for science and religion, the known and admitted facts are few and plain enough. All that the parsons say is unproved. All that the doctors say is disproved. That's the only difference between science and religion there's ever been, or will be.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Religion Science

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of ch

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost.

The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

People who make history know nothing about history. You can

People who make history know nothing about history. You can see that in the sort of history they make.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled o

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?

Gilbert K. Chesterton

We make our friends we make our enemies but God makes our ne

We make our friends we make our enemies but God makes our next door neighbour.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is

True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare.

Gilbert K. Chesterton