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Chesterton, G K - Orthodoxy - Sadness a reason for loving it more
Identifier
001408
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Orthodoxy – G. K. Chesterton
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...
Let us suppose we are confronted with a desperate thing – say Pimlico. If we think what is really best for Pimlico we shall find the thread of thought leads to the throne or the mystic and the arbitrary. It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico; in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea.
Nor certainly is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico; for then it would remain Pimlico, which would be awful.
The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico; to love it with a transcendental tie and without any earthly reason. If there arose a man who loved Pimlico, then Pimlico would rise into ivory towers and golden pinnacles; Pimlico would attire herself as a woman does when she is loved. For decoration is not given to hide horrible things; but to decorate things already adorable....
If men loved Pimlico as mothers love children, arbitrarily, because it is theirs, Pimlico in a year or two might be fairer than Florence...
Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.