The quotation comes from Charlotte Brontë – Jane Eyre (Chap. 33) | Genius
Quotation: Glorious discovery to a lonely wretch! This was wealth indeed!—wealth to the heart!—a mine of pure, genial affections. This was a blessing, bright, vivid, and exhilarating;—not like the ponderous gift of gold: rich and welcome enough in its way, but sobering from its weight. I now clapped my hands in sudden joy—my pulse bounded, my veins thrilled.
Context: Jane discovered that St. John was her cousin a while after she had been told her uncle bequeathed 20000 pounds to her.
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Hi everyone! I don’t quite understand the bold part. I try to interpret it as below. Is it correct?
Ponderous => 1 : of very great weight [M-W dictionary]
Sober => 4. marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc.:
Weight = 6 a burden, as of responsibility: The debts were a weight on his mind.
The sentence => …not like the burdensome gift of gold: it’s rich and welcome as it is, but it carries such a heavy responsibility that the receiver has to take it seriously. .
I suppose Jane suggested she had to be self-controlled to take the legacy seriously, but could freely express joy towards the glorious discovery.
Quotation: Glorious discovery to a lonely wretch! This was wealth indeed!—wealth to the heart!—a mine of pure, genial affections. This was a blessing, bright, vivid, and exhilarating;—not like the ponderous gift of gold: rich and welcome enough in its way, but sobering from its weight. I now clapped my hands in sudden joy—my pulse bounded, my veins thrilled.
Context: Jane discovered that St. John was her cousin a while after she had been told her uncle bequeathed 20000 pounds to her.
===
Hi everyone! I don’t quite understand the bold part. I try to interpret it as below. Is it correct?
Ponderous => 1 : of very great weight [M-W dictionary]
Sober => 4. marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc.:
Weight = 6 a burden, as of responsibility: The debts were a weight on his mind.
The sentence => …not like the burdensome gift of gold: it’s rich and welcome as it is, but it carries such a heavy responsibility that the receiver has to take it seriously. .
I suppose Jane suggested she had to be self-controlled to take the legacy seriously, but could freely express joy towards the glorious discovery.
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