G.K. Chesterton, b. May 29, 1874
0 comment Sunday, July 27, 2014 |
Today is the anniversary of G.K. Chesterton's birthday. Although today he seems to be remembered mostly by Catholics, as he was a Catholic himself, he has a lot to say that is valuable for all of us. You may notice I have a quote from him in my blog header, and here are a few more quotes, the first being one of my favorites.
'Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about."
"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected."

"The great ideals of the past failed not by being outlived (which must mean over-lived), but by not being lived enough. Mankind has not passed through the Middle Ages. Rather mankind has retreated from the Middle Ages in reaction and rout. The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."
"A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it."

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