Although the works of the Creator may be in themselves all equally perfect, the animal is, as I see it, the most complete work of nature, and man is her masterpiece.

The dog has no ambition, no self-interest, no desire for vengeance, no fear other than that of displeasing.

In general, the more one augments the number of divisions of the productions of nature, the more one approaches the truth, since in nature only individuals exist, while genera, orders, and classes only exist in our imagination.

Those who write as they speak, even though they speak well, write badly.

Style is the essence of man

Only well-written works will descend to posterity. Fulness of knowledge, interesting facts, even useful inventions, are no pledge of immortality, for they may be employed by more skilful hands; they are outside the man; the style is the man himself.

Man thinks, and at once becomes the master of the beings that do not think.