The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
the day returns, but nevermore
returns the traveller to the shore,
and the tide rises, the tide falls.

which statement best describes the purpose of the word “nevermore”?

The answer is "he was bad enough in all conscience, but the devil himself could not temp him to turn slave-trader. satirical is a synonym for sarcastic. so when the author says that tom walker could not be tempted by the devil he does not literally mean "the devil" but he means that he is too morally upright to become a slave-trader.