In the last chapter it has been said that the primary feeling that this
world is strange and yet attractive is best expressed in fairy tales. The reader may, if he likes, put down the next stage to that bellicose and
even jingo literature which commonly comes next in the history of a boy. . . . Whatever the
reason, it seemed and still seems to me that our attitude towards life can be better expressed in terms of a kind of military loyalty than in terms
of criticism and approval. My acceptance of the universe is not optimism, it is more like patriotism. It is a matter of primary loyalty. The world
is not a lodging-house at Brighton, which we are to leave because it is miserable. It is the fortress of our family, with the flag flying on the
turret, and the more miserable it is the less we should leave it. The point is not that this world is too sad to love or too glad not to love;
the point is that when you do love a thing, its gladness is a reason for loving it, and its sadness a reason for loving it more. All optimistic
thoughts about England and all pessimistic thoughts about her are alike reasons for the English patriot. Similarly, optimism and pessimism are
alike arguments for the cosmic patriot.
Orthodoxy, first published in 1908, by G. K. Chesterton, is in the public domain, and available from Project Gutenberg. The previous post in this series is here.
Thanks for reading! Read Chesterton.
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