"For my friend said that he opened his intellect as the sun opens the fans of a palm tree, opening for opening's sake, opening infinitely for ever. But I said that I opened my intellect as I opened my mouth, in order to shut it again on something solid. I was doing it at the moment. And as I truly pointed out, it would look uncommonly silly if I went on opening my mouth infinitely, for ever and ever."
G. K. Chesterton

January 1, 1970

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Added on April 10, 2026
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Original Language: English

Sources

Ch. V: "The Extraordinary Cabman"

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton