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At the devil's booth are all things sold. Each ounce of…

“At the devil's booth are all things sold. Each ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold.” quote by James Russell Lowell
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“At the devil's booth are all things sold. Each ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold.”

James Russell Lowell

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

All offerings are tainted; even worthless items carry a hidden cost, reflecting moral corruption.

In simple terms: Even cheap things have hidden costs.

Key Takeaway

Beware of hidden moral costs.

Themes

morality corruption value

Mood

cautionary reflective

Type

advice literary

When to use this quote

  • shopping
  • investment decisions
  • political deals

Key Concepts

economics ethics literature

Questions to Reflect On

  • What seemingly cheap choices have hidden consequences?
  • How do you assess true value?
A Different Perspective

Some costs are intangible and hard to measure.

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