Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes About Birth

• Tradition is only democracy extended through time; it may be defined as an extension of the franchise. Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who are merely walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by accident of death. Democracy tells us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our father.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Father, Mean, Men

  'Orthodoxy' (1908) ch. 4

• I despise Birth-Control first because it is ... an entirely meaningless word; and is used so as to curry favour even with those who would first recoil from its real meaning. The proceeding these quack doctors recommend does not control any birth.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Real, Science, Doctors

• Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Christmas, Beautiful, Home

• Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs? We thank people for birthday presents of cigars and slippers. Can I thank no one for the birthday present of birth?

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Sweet, Children, Grateful

  Gilbert K. Chesterton (2013). “The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton”, p.39, Simon and Schuster

• When fishes flew and forests walked
  And figs grew upon thorn,
  Some moment when the moon was blood
  Then surely I was born.
  With monstrous head and sickening cry
  And ears like errant wings,
  The devil's walking parody
  On all four-footed things.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Moon, Blood, Wings

  1900 'The Donkey'.

• All democrats object to men being disqualified by the accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by the accident of death.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Men, Birth, Tradition

  Orthodoxy ch. 4 (1908)

• I might inform those humanitarians who have a nightmare of new and needless babies (for some humanitarians have that sort of horror of humanity) that if the recent decline in the birth-rate were continued for a certain time, it might end in there being no babies at all; which would console them very much.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Baby, Birth Rate, Humanity

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