Animals, in their generation, are wiser than the sons of men, but their wisdom is confined to a few particulars, and lies in a very narrow compass.

Imitate the ass in his love to his master.

Do you not see how God is praised by those in the heavens and those on earth? The very birds praised Him as they wing their way.

Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps, for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be.

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

Animals are good to think with.

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

Life is no way to treat an animal.

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.

Man and animals are really the conduit of food, the sepulcher of animals, and resting place of the dead, one causing the death of the other, making themselves the covering for the corruption of other dead bodies.

An ape will be an ape, though clad in purple.

The righteous know the needs of their animals, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all.