Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
American author, humorist, philosopher
(1835-1910)
"It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions."
"Of all species the human is the most detestable. For man is the only being who inflicts pain for sport, knowing it is causing pain."
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
"When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade without further introduction."
"It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions. Heaven is by favor; if it were by merit your dog would go in and you would stay out. Of all the creatures ever made he (man) is the most detestable. Of the entire brood, he is the only one...that possesses malice. He is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to the other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot."
"If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat."
"I believe I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces
results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. To know that the
results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility to it. The
pains which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity
towards it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without
looking further. It is so distinctly a matter of feeling with me, and is so
strong and so deeply-rooted in my make and constitution, that I am sure I
could not even see a vivisector vivisected with anything more than a sort of
qualified satisfaction. I do not say I should not go and look on; I only
mean that I should almost surely fail to get out of it the degree of
contentment which it ought, of course, to be expected to furnish."
- Letter to London Anti-Vivisection Society, May 26, 1899
A lie goes half way around the world before truth puts on its boots.
It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.
