“happiness is an end and pleasure can only be a means.”
G.K. Chesterton in Daily News April 27, 1912 quoted in “Chesterton’s Mail Bag” in Gilbert Magazine Vol. 8 #8 (July-August 2005)
“Not then having learned the philosophy of yielding to disproportionate obstacles...”
Francis Parkman, The Oregon Trail
“I like the Cyclostyle ink; it is so inky. I do not think there is anyone who takes quite such fierce pleasure in things being themselves as I do.”
G.K. Chesterton in a letter to his fiancée, in which he confesses to being covered in ink after a day’s work, quoted by David W. Fagerberg in First Things March 2000
“‘It’s impossible to know anything about God.’ You would have to know a great deal about God in order to know that you couldn’t know anything about God (I mean anything else about Him). At the least you would have to know either that He doesn’t exist, that even if He exists He doesn’t care whether you know about Him, or that even if He cares He is incompetent to tell us anything about Himself.”
J. Budziszewski "Underground Thomist" email “Reading an Empty Book” March 24, 2019
“I do so love fireworks. They are so unnecessary.”
John Gielgud, quoted by Richard John Neuhaus in First Things #153 (May 2005)
In my latest National Post column I ask what the point is of trying to build a Conservative Frankenstein’s Monster with blue brain, red heart and green hair, brought to life by a jolt from a polling machine, when conservatism is the reality-based philosophy that believes in coherent rules.
“Never stay up on the barren heights of cleverness, but come down to the green valleys of silliness.”
Ludwig Wittgenstein, quoted as "Thought du jour" in "Social Studies" in Globe & Mail January 19, 2009
“Nobody really cares if you're miserable so you might as well be happy.”
Cynthia Nelms, quoted as "Thought du jour" in "Social Studies" in Globe & Mail July 24, 2009