Oh, bane of man! seducing cheat! Can man, weak man, thy power defeat? Gold banish’d honour from the mind, And only left the name behind; Gold sow’d the world with ev’ry ill, Gold taught the murderer’s sword to kill; ’Twas gold instructed coward hearts In treachery’s more pernicious arts.

Meaning: The saying praises allowing anger to pass rather than keeping a grievance alive. Its moral judgement is too simple: lasting anger does not by itself show that someone lacks good character.

Meaning: Managing one’s own impulses or habits can be a significant achievement. Conquest pictures inward effort, encouraging self-direction without requiring harsh self-criticism, denial of legitimate needs or complete control over every feeling.

Meaning: Distance may weaken a mild attachment while making an intense one feel stronger. The contrast between cooling and inflaming describes different possible responses to absence, rather than a dependable rule for measuring love or deciding how relationships should work.