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Poems That Every Child Should Know/Mercy

From Wikisource
For works with similar titles, see Mercy.

Excerpt from Merchant of Venice

65902Poems That Every Child Should Know — MercyMary Elizabeth BurtWilliam Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Mercy.

"Mercy," an excerpt from "The Merchant of Venice," "Polonius' Advice," from "Hamlet," and Antony's Speech," from "Julius Cæsar" (all fragments from Shakespeare, 1564-1616), find a place in this book because a well-known New York teacher—one who is unremitting in his efforts to raise the good taste and character of his pupils—says: "A book of poetry could not be complete without these extracts."

The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above his sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.

Shakespeare ("Merchant of Venice").