---
title: "5 Defined Quotes By Gilbert K. Chesterton"
description: "5 Defined quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton. Plus more from Gilbert K. Chesterton and more Defined sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_america_the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-th_121972.png"
---

> [The historic glory of America lies in the fact that it is the one nation that was founded like a church. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-the-fact-that-it-is-the-one/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_america_the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-th_121972.png)

> [Bigotry may be roughly defined as the anger of men who have no opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/bigotry-may-be-roughly-defined-as-the-anger-of-men-who-have-no/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anger_bigotry-may-be-roughly-defined-as-the-an_849918.png)

> [Tradition is only democracy extended through time; it may be defined as an extension of the franchise. Tradition means giving votes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/tradition-is-only-democracy-extended-through-time-it-may-be-defined/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_accidents_tradition-is-only-democracy-extended-thr_1182967.jpg)

> [The thing that cannot be defined is the first thing; the primary fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-thing-that-cannot-be-defined-is-the-first-thing-the-primary-fact/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_defined_the-thing-that-cannot-be-defined-is-the_2318981.png)

> [The mind moves by instincts, associations and premonitions and not by fixed dates or completed processes. Action and reaction will occur simultaneously:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-mind-moves-by-instincts-associations-and-premonitions-and-not-by/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_action_the-mind-moves-by-instincts-associations_2798590.png)

## Other authors on Defined

## More by Gilbert K. Chesterton

> [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Youth is always too serious, and just now it is too serious about frivolity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/youth-is-always-too-serious-and-just-now-it-is-too-serious-about/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Tradition does not mean a dead town; it does not mean that the living are dead but that the dead are alive. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/tradition-does-not-mean-a-dead-town-it-does-not-mean-that-the-living/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted and only a few things forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/it-is-shorter-to-state-the-things-forbidden-than-the-things-permitted/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [For Scotland has a double dose of the poison called heredity; the sense of blood in the aristocrat, the sense of doom in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/for-scotland-has-a-double-dose-of-the-poison-called-heredity-the/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Faith is always at a disadvantage; it is a perpetually defeated thing which survives all conquerors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/faith-is-always-at-a-disadvantage-it-is-a-perpetually-defeated-thing/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [A building is akin to dogma; it is insolent, like dogma. Whether or no it is permanent, it claims permanence, like a dogma. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-building-is-akin-to-dogma-it-is-insolent-like-dogma-whether-or-no/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-triangle-of-truisms-of-father-mother-and-child-cannot-be/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Criticism is only words about words, and of what use are words about such words as these?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/criticism-is-only-words-about-words-and-of-what-use-are-words-about/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Plato was only a Bernard Shaw who unfortunately made his jokes in Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/plato-was-only-a-bernard-shaw-who-unfortunately-made-his-jokes-in/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [The word good has many meanings...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-word-good-has-many-meanings/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/music-with-dinner-is-an-insult-both-to-the-cook-and-the-violinist/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Eugenics asserts that all men must be so stupid that they cannot manage their own affairs; and also so clever that they can manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/eugenics-asserts-that-all-men-must-be-so-stupid-that-they-cannot/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/#itemlist",
            "name": "5 Defined Quotes By Gilbert K. Chesterton",
            "numberOfItems": 5,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The historic glory of America lies in the fact that it is the one nation that was founded like a church. That is, it was founded on a faith that was not merely summed up after it had exited, but was defined before it existed.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Gilbert K. Chesterton"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-the-fact-that-it-is-the-one/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_america_the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-th_121972.png",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_america_the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-th_121972.png",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_america_the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-th_121972.png",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The historic glory of America lies in the fact that it is the one nation that was founded like a church…” — Gilbert K. Chesterton",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "Bigotry may be roughly defined as the anger of men who have no opinions.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Gilbert K. Chesterton"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/bigotry-may-be-roughly-defined-as-the-anger-of-men-who-have-no/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anger_bigotry-may-be-roughly-defined-as-the-an_849918.png",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anger_bigotry-may-be-roughly-defined-as-the-an_849918.png",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anger_bigotry-may-be-roughly-defined-as-the-an_849918.png",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“Bigotry may be roughly defined as the anger of men who have no opinions.” — Gilbert K. Chesterton",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "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.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Gilbert K. Chesterton"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/tradition-is-only-democracy-extended-through-time-it-may-be-defined/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_accidents_tradition-is-only-democracy-extended-thr_1182967.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_accidents_tradition-is-only-democracy-extended-thr_1182967.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_accidents_tradition-is-only-democracy-extended-thr_1182967.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“Tradition is only democracy extended through time; it may be defined as an extension of the franchise…” — Gilbert K. Chesterton",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The thing that cannot be defined is the first thing; the primary fact.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Gilbert K. Chesterton"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-thing-that-cannot-be-defined-is-the-first-thing-the-primary-fact/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_defined_the-thing-that-cannot-be-defined-is-the_2318981.png",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_defined_the-thing-that-cannot-be-defined-is-the_2318981.png",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_defined_the-thing-that-cannot-be-defined-is-the_2318981.png",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The thing that cannot be defined is the first thing; the primary fact.” — Gilbert K. Chesterton",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The mind moves by instincts, associations and premonitions and not by fixed dates or completed processes. Action and reaction will occur simultaneously: or the cause actually be found after the effect. Errors will be resisted before they have been properly promulgated: notions will be first defined long after they are dead.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Gilbert K. Chesterton"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-mind-moves-by-instincts-associations-and-premonitions-and-not-by/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_action_the-mind-moves-by-instincts-associations_2798590.png",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_action_the-mind-moves-by-instincts-associations_2798590.png",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_action_the-mind-moves-by-instincts-associations_2798590.png",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The mind moves by instincts, associations and premonitions and not by fixed dates or completed processes…” — Gilbert K. Chesterton",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/",
            "name": "Defined Quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97e/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_america_the-historic-glory-of-america-lies-in-th_121972.png"
            },
            "description": "5 Defined quotes by Gilbert K. Chesterton. Plus more from Gilbert K. Chesterton and more Defined sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Defined",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "Gilbert K. Chesterton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/gilbert-k-chesterton/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```