G

Gilbert K. Chesterton

73 quotes

G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) was an English writer, philosopher, and literary critic known for his prolific output, quick wit, and paradoxical style of argument. The creator of the beloved Father Brown detective stories, Chesterton wrote on theology, philosophy, and social issues with a joyful exuberance that earned him the nickname "the prince of paradox."

“Once I planned to write a book of poems entirely about the things in my pocket. But I found it would be too long and the age of the great epics is past.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Age

All Quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton

“The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Health

“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

Family

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Happiness

“Marriage is an adventure, like going to war.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Marriage

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

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

God

“The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Travel

“We are justified in enforcing good morals, for they belong to all mankind but we are not justified in enforcing good manners, for good manners always mean our own manners.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Good

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

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

History

“Science in the modern world has many uses its chief use, however, is to provide long words to cover the errors of the rich.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Science

“Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Music

“There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Architecture

“No man who worships education has got the best out of education... Without a gentle contempt for education no man's education is complete.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Best

“The only defensible war is a war of defense.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

War

“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

Power

“All conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Alone

“Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Art

“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Faith

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Life

“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Education

“Fable is more historical than fact, because fact tells us about one man and fable tells us about a million men.”

— Gilbert K. Chesterton

Men