Before marriage she thought hserself in love; but the happiness that should have followed this love not having come, she must, she thought, have been mistaken. And Emma tried to find out what one meant exactly in life by the words felicity, passion, rapture, that had seemed to her so beautiful in books.

Meaning: Appreciating what is sufficient can make ordinary life feel abundant. The continual feast pictures ongoing satisfaction, without requiring someone to accept deprivation, injustice or unmet needs as though they were adequate.

Meaning: A satisfactory outcome can make earlier trouble feel less important. People may judge a difficult experience more positively once its main problem has been resolved.

Meaning: When richer options are unavailable, a simple provision can be welcome. The saying describes satisfaction shaped by circumstances, without proving that people need no more or should be denied better choices.

Meaning: Distance may weaken a mild attachment while making an intense one feel stronger. The contrast between cooling and inflaming describes different possible responses to absence, rather than a dependable rule for measuring love or deciding how relationships should work.