Gilbert K. Chesterton
Gilbert K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG, better known as G. K. Chesterton, was an English writer, poet, philosopher, dramatist, journalist, orator, lay theologian, biographer, and literary and art critic. Chesterton is often referred to as the "prince of paradox." Time magazine has observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out."...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth29 May 1874
half vices allies
The whole truth is generally the ally of virtue; a half-truth is always the ally of some vice.
men good-man morality
It's not that we don't have enough scoundrels to curse; it's that we don't have enough good men to curse them.
christmas people wake-up
The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and some day suddenly wake up and discover why.
christmas kings dark
The more we are proud that the Bethlehem story is plain enough to be understood by the shepherds, and almost by the sheep, the more do we let ourselves go, in dark and gorgeous imaginative frescoes or pageants about the mystery and majesty of the Three Magian Kings.
christmas turkeys life-and-death
What life and death may be to a turkey is not my business; but the soul of Scrooge and the body of Cratchit are my business.
mistake fads noble
Puritanism was an honourable mood; it was a noble fad. In other words, it was a highly creditable mistake.
theology
Theology is only thought applied to religion.
simple darkness facts
One of the chief uses of religion is that it makes us remember our coming from darkness, the simple fact that we are created.
love hate men
Women have a thirst for order and beauty as for something physical; there is a strange female power of hating ugliness and waste as good men can only hate sin and bad men virtue.
love men good-man
A good man's work is effected by doing what he does, a woman's by being what she is.
love pleasure crisis
The whole pleasure of marriage is that it is a perpetual crisis.
love fun sorry
A man imagines a happy marriage as a marriage of love; even if he makes fun of marriages that are without love, or feels sorry for lovers who are without marriage.
self government culture
Self-denial is the test and definition of self-government.
selfish confused cities
The modern city is ugly not because it is a city but because it is not enough of a city, because it is a jungle, because it is confused and anarchic, and surging with selfish and materialistic energies.