The Project Gutenberg EBook of Orthodoxy, by G. K. Chesterton

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Title: Orthodoxy

Author: G. K. Chesterton

Release Date: September 28, 2005 [EBook #16769]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ORTHODOXY ***

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ORTHODOXY

_by_

G.K. CHESTERTON

JOHN LANE

THE BODLEY HEAD LTD

_First published in_.......................... 1908

_printed_..................................... 1908

_Reprinted_................................... 1909

_Reprinted_................................... 1911

_Reprinted_................................... 1915

_Reprinted_................................... 1919

_Reprinted_................................... 1921

_Reprinted_................................... 1924

_Reprinted_................................... 1926

_First published in "The Week-End Library" in_ 1927

_Reprinted_................................... 1934

MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
LONDON AND BECCLES.

_TO MY MOTHER_

_CONTENTS_

_Chap._ _Page_

I. INTRODUCTION IN DEFENCE OF EVERYTHING ELSE 11

II. THE MANIAC ................................ 20

III. THE SUICIDE OF THOUGHT ................... 50

IV. THE ETHICS OF ELFLAND ..................... 76

V. THE FLAG OF THE WORLD ...................... 117

VI. THE PARADOXES OF CHRISTIANITY ............. 146

VII. THE ETERNAL REVOLUTION ................... 186

VIII. THE ROMANCE OF ORTHODOXY ................ 228

IX. AUTHORITY AND THE ADVENTURER .............. 259

_ORTHODOXY_

CHAPTER I.--_Introduction in Defence of Everything Else_

The only possible excuse for this book is that it is an answer to a
challenge. Even a bad shot is dignified when he accepts a duel. When
some time ago I published a series of hasty but sincere papers, under
the name of "Heretics," several critics for whose intellect I have a
warm respect (I may mention s