Hilaire Belloc quotes - page 4

[M]an knows his own nature, and that which he pursues must surely be his satisfaction? Judging by which measure I determine that the best thing in the world is flying at full speed from pursuit, and keeping up hammer and thud and gasp and bleeding till the knees fail and the head grows dizzy, and at last we all fall down and that thing (whatever it is) which pursues us catches us up and eats our carcasses. This way of managing our lives, I think, must be the best thing in the world-for nearly all men choose to live thus. (Hilaire Belloc)
It is this worth, that is, this ability to get other wealth in exchange, which constitutes true Economic Wealth. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
All teaching is dogmatic. Dogma, indeed, means only "a thing taught," and teaching not dogmatic would cease to be teaching and would become discussion and doubt. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
I recognised that I was (and I confessed) in that attitude of the mind wherein men admit mortality; something had already passed from me-I mean that fresh and vigorous morning of the eyes wherein the beauty of this land had been reflected as in a tiny mirror of burnished silver. Youth was gone out apart; it was loved and regretted, and therefore no longer possessed. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Death [...] people nowadays seem to regard as something odd, whereas it is well known to be the commonest thing in the world. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
It was my shame, and now it is my boast, That I have loved you rather more than most. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Then let us love one another and laugh. Time passes, and we shall soon laugh no longer-and meanwhile common living is a burden, and earnest men are in siege upon us all around. Let us suffer absurdities, for this is only to suffer one another. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
You shall receive me when the clouds are high With evening and the sheep attain the fold. This is the faith that I have held and hold, And this is that in which I mean to die. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
I have noticed that this kind of fanatic, like every other kind, is in two species: the species which too clearly thinks out its own insane theory, and the species which remains perfectly muddle-headed. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Then he added, as men will who are of infinite imagination and crammed with desires, 'My wants are few. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
The future always comes as a surprise, but political wisdom consists in attempting at least some partial judgment of what that surprise may be. And for my part I cannot but believe that a main unexpected thing of the future is the return of Islam. (Hilaire Belloc)
By thee do seers the inward light discern; By thee the statue lives, the Gods return. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
It is not insignificant that the Church, in the rare places and times when she had power to do so, did not compel the mind. During all that intense intellectual life of the thirteenth century instruction was by choice: endowed-so that the poorest could reach the highest inspiration, but at the choice of the individual or family will, to be taken or left. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Logically the Neo-Pagan should get rid of the institution of marriage altogether; but the very nature of human society, which is built up of cells each of which is a family, and the very nature of human generation, forbid such an extreme. Children must be brought up and acknowledged and sheltered, and the very nature of human affection, whereby there is the bond of affection between the parent and the child, and the child is not of one parent but of both, will compel the Neo-Pagan to modify what might be his logical conclusion of free love and support some simulacrum of the institution of marriage. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
There is nothing at all that remains: nor any house; nor any castle, however strong; nor any love, however tender and sound; nor any comradeship among men, however hardy. Nothing remains but the things of which I will not speak, because we have spoken enough of them already during these four days. But I who am old will give you advice, which is this-to consider chiefly from now onwards those permanent things which are, as it were, the shores of this age and the harbours of our glittering and pleasant but dangerous and wholly changeful sea. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
[N]othing is worthwhile on this unhappy earth except the fulfilment of a man's desire. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
When the ephemeral vision's lure is past All, all, must face their Passion at the last. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
There's nothing worth the wear of winning, But laughter and the love of friends. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
And the men that were boys when I was a boy Shall sit and drink with me. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
For every time she shouted 'Fire' They only answered 'Little liar' And therefore when her aunt returned, Matilda, and the house, were burned. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Be at the pains of putting down every single item of expenditure whatsoever every day which could possibly be twisted into a professional expense and remember to lump in all the doubtfuls. (Hilaire Belloc)
The whole art of the political speech is to put 'nothing' into it. It is much more difficult than it sounds. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
The Devil, having nothing else to do Went off to tempt my Lady Poltagrue. My Lady, tempted by a private whim, To his extreme annoyance, tempted him. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Remote and ineffectual don. View quote
Hilaire Belloc
Awake, Ausonian Muse, and sing the vineyard song! View quote
Hilaire Belloc