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The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton

Book by G.K. Chesterton · 4 quotes · Art, Artist, Capitalismo

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The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton Quotes

“But there is a way of despising the dandelion which is not that of the dreary pessimist, but of the more offensive optimist. It can be done in various ways; one of which is saying, "You can get much better dandelions at Selfridge's," or "You can get much cheaper dandelions at Woolworth's." Another way is to observe with a casual drawl, "Of course nobody but Gamboli in Vienna really understands dandelions," or saying that nobody would put up with the old-fashioned dandelion since the super-dandelion has been grown in the Frankfurt Palm Garden; or merely sneering at the stinginess of providing dandelions, when all the best hostesses give you an orchid for your buttonhole and a bouquet of rare exotics to take away with you. These are all methods of undervaluing the thing by comparison; for it is not familiarity but comparison that breeds contempt. And all such captious comparisons are ultimately based on the strange and staggering heresy that a human being has a right to dandelions; that in some extraordinary fashion we can demand the very pick of all the dandelions in the garden of Paradise; that we owe no thanks for them at all and need feel no wonder at them at all; and above all no wonder at being thought worthy to receive them. Instead of saying, like the old religious poet, "What is man that Thou carest for him, or the son of man that Thou regardest him?" we are to say like the discontented cabman, "What's this?" or like the bad-tempered Major in the club, "Is this a chop fit for a gentleman?" Now I not only dislike this attitude quite as much as the Swinburnian pessimistic attitude, but I think it comes to very much the same thing; to the actual loss of appetite for the chop or the dish of dandelion-tea. And the name of it is Presumption and the name of its twin brother is Despair. This is the principle I was maintaining when I seemed an optimist to Mr. Max Beerbohm; and this is the principle I am still maintaining when I should undoubtedly seem a pessimist to Mr. Gordon Selfridge. The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them.”

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Book:The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton
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“Su versatilidad como experimentador y hombre habilidoso en diferentes terrenos era sorprendente. En su madriguera o estudio, había pilas enormes compuestas por capas estratificadas con muestras de diez o doce entretenimientos creativos: acuarelas, esculturas, fotografías, vidrieras, grecas, linternas gráficas e iluminaciones medievales. He heredado, o acaso he imitado, su hábito de dibujar, pero en todos los otros aspectos soy decididamente un patoso. Se decía que en su juventud había estudiado arte para ser un profesional, pero obviamente el negocio familiar era más seguro, y su vida siguió un camino de cierta prudencia satisfecha y desprendida, extraordinariamente típica de él, de su familia y de su generación. Jamás se le ocurrió sacar provecho económico de su talento para las artes plásticas ni utilizarlo para nada que no fuese su propio placer y el nuestro. A nosotros, él nos parecía, por supuesto, el Hombre de la llave dorada, un mago que abría las verjas de los castillos de los duendes y los sepulcros de los héroes muertos, con lo que no era incongruente llamar linterna mágica a su linterna. Sin embargo, durante todos aquellos años, el mundo, e incluso los vecinos de al lado, le tenían por un hombre de negocios digno de confianza y capaz, pero desprovisto de ambición. Fue una magnífica primera lección en lo que también es la última lección de la vida: en todo lo importante, el interior es mucho mayor que el exterior. En resumen, me alegro de que nunca fuese un artista. Ello podría haberle impedido ser un amateur. Podría haber estropeado su carrera, su carrera personal. Nunca habría conseguido un vulgar éxito en las miles de cosas que con tanto éxito hacía.”

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Book:The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton
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