Who sleepeth with dogs shall rise with fleas.

One of the animals which a generous and sociable man would soonest become is a dog. A dog can have a friend; he has affections and character; he can enjoy equally the field and the fireside; he dreams, he caresses, he propitiates; he offends and is pardoned; he stands by you in adversity; he is a good fellow.

Life is no way to treat an animal.

Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals—except the weasel.

We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.

I do not mean to call an elephant a vulgar animal, but if you think about him carefully, you will find that his nonvulgarity consists in such gentleness as is possible to elephantine nature—not in his insensitive hide, nor in his clumsy foot, but in the way he will lift his foot if a child lies in his way; and in his sensitive trunk, and still more sensitive mind, and capability of pique on points of honor.

A good dog, sir, deserves a good bone.

Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.

Animals are such agreeable friends—they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them.

Cows are among the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them—and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures.

The elephant, although a gross beast, is yet the most decent and most sensible of any other upon earth. Although he never changes his female, and hath so tender a love for her whom he hath chosen, yet he never couples with her but at the end of every three years, and then only for the space of five days.

Man is no man, but a wolf, to a stranger.