Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet a happy marriage has the tranquillity of a lovely sunset.

The line contrasts two kinds of gratification through vivid natural imagery. “Sensual pleasures” are likened to a comet—dazzling, attention-grabbing, and short-lived—suggesting that purely physical or novelty-driven thrills burn bright but quickly pass. A “happy marriage,” by contrast, is compared to a sunset—less flashy than a comet but steady, expansive, and quietly beautiful—implying endurance, warmth, and emotional peace. The quote functions as a moral and practical counsel: lasting fulfillment is more likely to come from stable companionship and mutual care than from momentary excitement. Its rhetorical force lies in replacing abstract advice with memorable, sensory metaphors.