Yet,'said Maturin, pursuing his own thought, 'there is a quality in dogs, I must confess, rarely to be seen elsewhere and that is affection: I do not mean the violent possessive protective love for their owner but rather that mild, steady attachment to their friends that we see quite often in the best sort of dog. And when you consider the rarity of plain disinterested affection among our own kind, once we are adult, alas - when you consider how immensely it enhances daily life and how it enriches a man's past and future, so that he can look backward and forward with complacency - why, it is a pleasure to find it in brute creation.
Maturin reflects on the unique quality of affection found in dogs, which he believes is uncommon in human relationships. He distinguishes between the intense, possessive love a dog shows to its owner and the more gentle, enduring loyalty that can exist among friends, particularly in the best breed of dogs. This genuine, disinterested affection is, in his view, a rarity among adults, where relationships often lack the same depth of care.
He suggests that this kind of love significantly enhances daily experiences and enriches one's life story, providing a sense of comfort when looking back on the past or contemplating the future. The presence of such pure affection in animals not only brings joy but also serves as a reminder of the simpler, yet profound, connections that can exist beyond human interactions.
