work or by labor, are placed in direct opposition. Apply the rule of contrast to the following:
Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
Who steals my purse, steals trash, 'tis something, nothing—
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands:
But he that filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.[1]
—Shakespeare.
This passage may easily be memorized by means of noting the contrasts. In the first place, it is stated that a good name is the most valuable gem that either a man or a woman can possess; here we have the contrast between man and woman. Then, it is said that in stealing a purse, the thief steals trash, but in stealing a good name, he takes what is of inestimable
- ↑ Othello, Act III, Scene III.
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