Thus they, alas, threw away the gold of human affections among the dross of this world's comfort and honour.

A time when God purges the man, and tries him in the fire, and burns up the dross in him, that the pure sterling gold only may be left.

In the smithy the iron is softened by blowing up the fire, and taking the dross from the bar.

Life at its normal best is full of agonizings and endless toil and sufferings; what matters, what it is really there for, is that we should learn to conduct it with Dignity, Courage, Goodwillto transmute its dross into gold.

Every one has in him a natural Alloy, tho' one may be fuller of Dross than another: For this reason I cannot think it right to introduce a perfect or a faultless Man upon the Stage; not only because such a Character is improper to move Compassion, but because there is no such a thing in Nature.

I had a wife would not have us'd me so; The wealth of Europe could not hire her tongue To be offensive to my patient ears; But, in exchanging her, I did prefer A devil before a saint, night before day, Hell before heaven, and dross before tried gold; Never was bargain with such damage sold.

Money was as dross to him; but he ought to have remembered how it might be as life itself to many, and be craved after, and coveted, till the black longing got the better of principle, as it has done with this poor Crayston.

O'erwhelm'd and lost amidst the publick ruins, Unmov'd, I saw the glitt'ring trifles perish, And thought the petty dross beneath a sigh.

The generous God who wit and gold refines, And ripens spirits as he ripens mines, Kept dross for duchesses, the world shall know it, To you gave sense, good-humour, and a poet.