A dog starved at his master’s gate / Predicts the ruin of the state.

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

Every ass thinks himself worthy to stand with the king’s horses.

When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.

Man is merely a more perfect animal than the rest. He reasons better.

Man is a troublesome animal and therefore is not very manageable.

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

A good dog, sir, deserves a good bone.

Imitate the ass in his love to his master.

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.

Of all the creatures that breathe and creep on the surface of the earth, none is more to be pitied than man.

Alas! We are ridiculous animals.

There are some who, if a cat accidentally comes into the room, though they neither see it nor are told of it, will presently be in a sweat and ready to die away.