The person that had took a bull by the tail once had learnt sixty or seventy times as much as a person that hadn't, and said a person that started in to carry a cat home by the tail was getting knowledge that was always going to be useful to him, and warn't ever going to grow dim or doubtful. Chances are, he isn't likely to carry the cat that way again, either. But if he wants to, I say let him!

The Writings of Mark Twain [pseud.]: Tom Sawyer abroad, Tom Sawyer, detective, and other stories, etc., etc (ed. 1899)