[Fairy tales] make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.

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.

The modern world has far too little understanding of the art of keeping young. Its notion of progress has been to pile one thing on top of another, without caring if each thing was crushed in turn. People forgot that the human soul can enjoy a thing most when there is time to think about it and be thankful for it. And by crowding things together they lost the sense of surprise; and surprise is the secret of joy.

A great city is the place to escape the true drama of provincial life, and find solace in fantasy.

The supreme adventure is being BORN

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

Every heresy has been an effort to narrow the Church.