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Quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton

“When some English moralists write about the importance of having character, they appear to mean only the importance of having a dull character.”

Quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton

Author

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Gilbert K. Chesterton was an English writer, critic, and theologian, born on May 29, 1874, and died on June 14, 1936. Known for his unique literary style and profound philosophical thinking, Chesterton's works spanned a variety of genres, including novels, poetry, drama, and criticism. more

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“It may be a mere patriotic bias, though I do not think so, but it seems to me that the English aristocracy is not only the type, but is the crown and flower of all actual aristocracies; it has all the oligarchical virtues as well as all the defects. It is casual, it is kind, it is courageous in obvious matters; but it has one great merit that overlaps even these. The great and very obvious merit of the English aristocracy is that nobody could possibly take it seriously.”

Thinking Wells Kind May Matter Seems Virtue Flower Type Mere Obvious Merit Courageous Patriotic Crowns Bias Defects Casual Aristocracy

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“I tell you naught for your comfort, Yea, naught for your desire, Save that the sky grows darker yet And the sea rises higher.”

Desire Grows Sea Sky Higher Comfort

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“It is largely because the free-thinkers, as a school, have hardly made up their minds whether they want to be more optimist or more pessimist than Christianity that their small but sincere movement has failed.”

Want Mind Made School Christianity Movement Sincere Thinker Optimist Pessimist Free Thinkers

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“A fairly clear line separated advertisement from art. ... The first effect of the triumph of the capitalist (if we allow him to triumph) will be that that line of demarcation will entirely disappear. There will be no art that might not just as well be advertisement.”

Ifs Firsts Wells Art Might Lines Clear Effects Disappear Triumph Capitalist Advertisements

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“Catholicism is not ritualism; it may in the future be fighting some sort of superstitious and idolatrous exaggeration of ritual. Catholicism is not asceticism; it has again and again in the past repressed fanatical and cruel exaggerations of asceticism. Catholicism is not mere mysticism; it is even now defending human reason against the mere mysticism of the Pragmatists.”

Humans May Reason Past Fighting Mere Mysticism Catholicism Ritual Again And Again Exaggeration Superstitious Repressed Asceticism Human Reason Pragmatists

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“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.”

Mean Made Position Criticism Boots

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“The academic mind reflects infinity, and is full of light by the simple process of being shallow and standing still.”

Mind Stills Light Process Simple Standing Infinity Academic Shallow Standing Still

Book:The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton

Source: The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton

“Plato was right, but not quite right.”

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“It is only great men who take up a great space by not being there.”

Men Space Great Men Being There

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton

“The truth is that it is our attitude towards children that is right, and our attitude towards grown-up people that is wrong. Our attitude towards our equals in age consists in a servile solemnity, overlying a considerable degree of indifference or disdain. Our attitude towards children consists in a condescending indulgence, overlying an unfathomable respect.”

People Children Age Attitude Truth Is Degrees Indifference Indulgence Disdain Unfathomable Condescending Solemnity

Author:Gilbert K. Chesterton