I see, the jewel best enamelled
Will lose his beauty; yet the gold bides still
That others read more

I see, the jewel best enamelled
Will lose his beauty; yet the gold bides still
That others touch, and often touching will
Wear gold; and no man that hath a name,
By falsehood and corruption doth it shame.

Truly now is the golden age; the highest honour comes by means of
gold; by gold love is procured.
read more

Truly now is the golden age; the highest honour comes by means of
gold; by gold love is procured.
[Lat., Aurea nunc vere sunt saecula; plurimus auto
Venit honos; auro concilatur amor.]

More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth.

More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth.

Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is read more

Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.

Truth comes to us from the past, then, like gold washed down from the mountains.

Truth comes to us from the past, then, like gold washed down from the mountains.

Yellow-colored objects appear to be gold

Yellow-colored objects appear to be gold

Gold gives to the ugliest thing a certain charming air,
For that without it were else a miserable affair.
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Gold gives to the ugliest thing a certain charming air,
For that without it were else a miserable affair.
[Fr., L'or donne aux plus laids certain charme pour plaire,
Et que sans lui le reste est une triste affaire.]

What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?

What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?

Commerce has set the mark of selfishness,
The signet of its all-enslaving power
Upon a shining ore, read more

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.