Question

Read the passage from An Essay on Man.

Self-love and reason to one end aspire,
Pain their aversion, pleasure their desire;
But greedy that, its object would devour,
This taste the honey, and not wound the flow'r

The author contrasts words with positive and negative connotations to

create humor.
encourage debate.
clarify his argument.
make an emotional appeal.

Answer 1

clarify his argument.

The contrasting words (e.g., "devour" vs. "taste the honey, and not wound the flow'r") sharpen the difference between greedy self‑love and gentle reason, reinforcing the poem's point that both aim at the same end but use different means.