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The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous; it is indissolubly connected with the fate of men.

Men are rather reasoning than reasonable animals, for the most part governed by the impulse of passion.

I have found the missing link between the higher ape and civilized man; it is we.

I've probably understood men too well. I realise they are predatory by nature, and I have a certain acceptance of the male animal.

A rude nature is worse than a brute nature by so much more as man is better than a beast: and those that are of civil natures and genteel dispositions are as much nearer to celestial creatures as those that are rude and cruel are to devils.

Better to have beasts that let themselves be killed than men who run away.

My point of view is that men are basically animals, and I'm okay with that.

I thought if I could understand why apes get mean and horrible and aggressive when they grow up, maybe I could understand why people get mean and horrible and aggressive and have wars.

When it was time to meet a chimpanzee, I got very, very anxious because they have the strength of ten men, so I hear.

I just don't think I've had the desire yet to write a vicious animal - like a dog-gone-bad or anything - where I do feel that I need a balance of all types of humans.