Dog, A Man's Best Friend

Much earlier, however, Voltaire had written in his Dictionnaire philosophique of 1764:
CHIEN. —- Il semble que la nature ait donné le chien à l'homme pour sa défense et pour son plaisir. C'est de tous les animaux le plus fidèle : c'est le meilleur ami que puisse avoir l'homme.
Translated, this reads:
DOG. —- It seems that nature has given the dog to man for his defense and for his pleasure. Of all the animals it is the most faithful : it is the best friend man can have.