John Burroughs Quotes

As I get older, I find myself getting angrier and angrier. Doubtless, change itself, not to mention physical decline and inevitable petty tragedies of disappointed expectations, would have made for resentment in any event; but I used to be a passive schoolboy, my negative impulses turned obediently inward.

Animals do not admire each other. A horse does not admire its companion.

Anger is never without an argument, but seldom with a good one.

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.

What is now reason was formerly impulse or instinct.

Anger is never without an argument, but seldom with a good one.

When a herd of cattle see a strange object, they are not satisfied till each one has sniffed it; and the horse is cured of his fright at the robe, or the meal-bag, or other object, as soon as he can be induced to smell it. There is a great deal of speculation in the eye of an animal, but very little science.

Our knowledge of animals and their behaviour has come a long way. We can no longer justify imprisoning them, robbing them of everything that is natural and important to them and turning them into objects of ridicule for our amusement.

These days, many people are unwilling to see their dog as an animal. Let's face it: they are cute, but they will bite. Not only do I look at dogs as animals, I look at myself as an animal, which explains why, since I got my permit, I drive with my head out the window.

One would wonder to hear skeptical men disputing for the reason of animals, and telling us it is only our pride and prejudices that will not allow them the use of that faculty. Reason shows itself in all occurrences of life; whereas the brute makes no discovery of such a talent, but in what immediately regards his own preservation, or the continuance of his species. 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. Take a brute out of his instinct, and you find him wholly deprived of understanding.

For a moment Jack felt the strongest inclination to snatch up his little gilt chair and beat the white-faced man down with it.

Instinct guides the animal better than the man. In the animal it is pure, in man it is led astray by his reason and intelligence.

There is not, in my opinion, anything more mysterious in nature than this instinct in animals, which thus rise above reason, and yet fall infinitely short of it.

Man is a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal.

When reason ends, then anger begins. Therefore, anger is a sign of weakness.

I’m adding ‘canine’ to my searches,” I said. “And ‘instinct.’” “Whatever. I’m adding ‘lunatic.

Hunger whets everything, especially Suspicion and Indignation.

Toby Zeigler: There's literally no one in the world I don't hate right now.

I know by now you think I should have straightened myself out - Thank you, drop dead!

I do love animals so much, and have a great respect for them emotionally and intellectually, because they are so different from human beings.

There's nothing wrong with losing your temper for the right reasons.

We can more easily endure that which shames than that which vexes us.

It is always tedious when someone tells you that if you don't stop crying, they will give you something to cry about, because if you are crying then you already have something to cry about, and so there is no reason for them to give you anything additional to cry about, thank you very much.

Typical! I break my neck trying to get here, and I find you peacefully tidying up!

My liver swells with bile difficult to repress.