Question

Read the passage.

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly;—’Tis dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to set a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated.
What is the main idea Thomas Paine was conveying in this excerpt?


Certain principles are timeless and will develop on their own.

Freedom is costly, but anything truly worthwhile comes at a high price.

We overvalue the principle of freedom and must reconsider its worth.

People must find easier ways to obtain freedom and justice.

Answer 1

Freedom is costly, but anything truly worthwhile comes at a high price.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is the feeling that Paine wants to convey in these lines. He tells us that when people obtain things cheaply (with no effort), they steem them lightly, which means that they do not appreciate them enough. Therefore, he argues that things that are truly valuable are usually difficult to obtain. This is the case with freedom. Freedom is going to be difficult to get, as it will require a war. However, this is only because of the importance and value of freedom.

Answer 2

What Thomas Paine is saying is that we don't value things that we acquire easily, but we value greatly the things for which we struggle to acquire. He compares Freedom to a gift as important as eternal life in Heaven, deeming that the cost of Christ's death is the extent of the price which Freedom will cost—and rightly so, in his opinion.

Answer: Freedom is costly, but anything truly worthwhile comes at a high price.

Hope this helps!