Gilbert K. Chesterton

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

Men always talk about the most important things to perfect strangers. In the perfect stranger we perceive man himself; the image of a God is not disguised by resemblances to an uncle or doubts of wisdom of a mustache.

Man is an exception, whatever else he is. If he is not the image of God, then he is a disease of the dust. If it is not true that a divine being fell, then we can only say that one of the animals went entirely off its head.

Large organization is loose organization. Nay, it would be almost as true to say that organization is always disorganization.

The family is the test of freedom; because the family is the only thing that the free man makes for himself and by himself.

I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite.

It is not funny that anything else should fall down; only that a man should fall down. Why do we laugh? Because it is a gravely religious matter: it is the Fall of Man. Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified.

Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.

Coincidences are spiritual puns.

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.

Education is the period during which you are being instructed by somebody you do not know, about something you do not want to know.

A teacher who is not dogmatic is simply a teacher who is not teaching.