Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their

Hear the profound words of Alfred A. Montapert: “Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to.” In this reflection, Montapert lays bare both the beauty of the animal world and the shortcomings of mankind. For he tells us that in the creatures we call lesser, we often find qualities greater than those we ourselves embody. Reliability, love, affection, gratitude, loyalty—these are virtues that sages have praised since the dawn of time, and yet they are more commonly found in beasts than in men.

The ancients revered animals for precisely these qualities. To the shepherd, his flock was a symbol of trust and dependence. To the hunter, his hound was a partner, faithful until death. In Egypt, the cat was worshiped for its protection of the household; in Rome, the dog was praised for its devotion to its master. Animals, though they lack speech, live in harmony with the virtues man professes but often fails to practice. In their silence, they embody truths that human tongues speak yet human hearts betray.

Consider the story of Greyfriars Bobby, the little dog of Scotland who kept vigil at his master’s grave for fourteen years, braving snow, rain, and cold, until he himself died. No wealth compelled him, no command restrained him—only loyalty, pure and unbreakable. Can we say the same of men? How often does ambition pull friends apart, or pride sever bonds of family? Bobby’s vigil stands as a monument to Montapert’s wisdom: that loyalty and love are often purer in animals than in people.

And yet Montapert’s words also strike as a rebuke. He says, “Difficult standards for people to live up to.” This is not mere admiration of animals but a challenge to mankind. If creatures without reason can live with love and gratitude, how much more should we, endowed with reason and conscience, strive to do the same? Too often men betray promises, abandon companions, and let selfishness corrupt affection. We cloak our failures in excuses, yet the dog does not excuse himself when he returns each day with a wagging tail.

The truth is that animals live without guile. They do not pretend, they do not flatter, they do not scheme. Their actions are simple, direct, and clear. In this, they mirror the harmony of nature itself, uncorrupted by greed or envy. If we were to live as they do—grateful for daily bread, loyal to those we love, true in our affections—our societies would know more peace, our homes more joy, our souls more rest. Montapert places before us not only admiration of animals, but also a model for humanity itself.

The lesson is this: let us not dismiss animals as lesser, but let us learn from them. Practice reliability—be as steady as the companion who waits for you at the door each evening. Practice gratitude—cherish the simple gifts of life as animals rejoice over a meal or a moment of affection. Practice loyalty—stand by your loved ones through hardship, as the faithful hound endures winter at his master’s side. In these things, animals surpass us, but they also teach us.

So let Montapert’s words echo in your heart: “Animals are reliable… Difficult standards for people to live up to.” Take them not as condemnation, but as inspiration. Live so that you are as trustworthy as a dog, as affectionate as a cat curling at the hearth, as loyal as the horse that bears its rider into danger. For if man, with all his gifts, could embody even half the virtues of the creatures beneath his roof, the world would shine with a brighter and more enduring love.