Commerce has set the mark of selfishness,
The signet of its all-enslaving power
Upon a shining ore, and called it gold;
Before whose image bow the vulgar great,
The vainly rich, the miserable proud,
The mob of peasants, nobles, priests, and kings,
And with blind feelings reverence the power
That grinds them to the dust of misery.
But in the temple of their hireling hearts
Gold is a living god, and rules in scorn
All earthly things but virtue.
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Speech is silver; silence is golden.
Speech is silver; silence is golden.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?
Rich and rare were the gems she wore,
And a bright gold ring on her wand she bore.
Rich and rare were the gems she wore,
And a bright gold ring on her wand she bore.
Every honest miller has a golden thumb.
Every honest miller has a golden thumb.
A mask of gold hides all deformities.
A mask of gold hides all deformities.
The lust of gold succeeds the rage of conquest;
The lust of gold, unfeeling and remorseless!
The read more
The lust of gold succeeds the rage of conquest;
The lust of gold, unfeeling and remorseless!
The last corruption of degenerate man.
There is thy gold; worse poison to men's souls, Doing more murther in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds read more
There is thy gold; worse poison to men's souls, Doing more murther in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell:.
How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object!
For this the foolish overcareful fathers
read more
How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object!
For this the foolish overcareful fathers
Have broke their sleep with thoughts, their brains with care.
Their bones with industry.
For this they have engrossed and piled up
The cankered heaps of strange-achieved gold;
For this they have been thoughtful to invest
Their sons with arts and martial exercises.
