a

Whereto the climber upward turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees a
By which he did ascend.

29-ii. 1. 439.

Humanity.
I love not to see wretchedness o'ercharged,
And duty in his service perishing.

7-v.1. 440.

Kindness.
Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks
Best to preserve it.

30—iii. 4. 441.

The same.
Your gentleness shall force,
More than your force move us to gentleness.

10-ii. 7. 442.

Kindness to be exercised.
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
And time to speak it in; you rub the sore,
When

you
should bring the plaster.

1-ii. 1. 443.

Unkindness.
Thy sister 's naught: she hath tied
Sharp-toothed unkindness, like a vulture, here b-

(Points to his heart).

34ii. 4. 444.

Sympathy.
Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water.

29_iii. 1.
445. Mildness to be used in differences.
That which combined us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
May it be gently heard : When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds: Then,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to the matter,

30_ii. 2. Alluding to the fable of Prometheus. Let not ill-humour be added.

b

* Low steps.

b

446. Mildness to be used in differences. Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours, Let's not confound a the time with conference harsh : There's not a minute of our lives should stretch Without some pleasure now.

30-i. 1. 447.

Mercy.

0, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous To use it like a giant.

5-ii. 2.

448.

The same.

Like a shepherd, Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth, But kill not all together.

27-v. 5.

449.

The same.
How shalt thou hope for mercy, rond'ring none ?

9-iv. 1. 450.

The same.
The quality of mercy is not strain'd:
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneathe: it is twice bless’d;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes :
'T is mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre 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 this scepter'd sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute to God himselff;
And earthly power doth then shew likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice.

a Censure.

“ Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.”— Ecclus. xxxv. 20.

€ “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”— Micah vii. 18.

G

Consider this,-
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation : we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

9-iv. 1. 451. Mercy, the fairest virtue. No ceremony that to great ones ’longs, Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe, Become them with one half so good a grace, As mercy does.

5-ii. 2. 452.

Mercy, pretended.
Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so;
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe. 5-ii. 1.
453.

Purity of thought.
By the pattern of mine own thoughts I cut out
The purity of his.

13-iv.3. 454.

Conscience.

Conscience, conscience, 0, 't is a tender place.

25-ii. 2. 455.

The same.

Leave her to heaven, And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge, To prick and sting her.

36-i. ö. 456.

The same. Who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's

wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin ? who would fardels bear,

a

6 " And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”Matt. vi. 12, 14, 15.

To grunt and sweat under a weary life;
But that the dread of something after death,-
The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns,-puzzles the will ;
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of ?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought;
And enterprises of great pith and moment,
With this regard, their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.

36_ii. 1.

457.

Conscience. Conscience, it makes a man a coward; a man cannot steal, but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear, but it checks him; a man cannot lie with his neighbour's wife, but it detects him.

24-i. 1.

458.

The same. To my sick soul, as sin's true nature is, Each toy b seems prologue to some great amiss : So full of artless jealousy is guilt, It spills itself in fearing to be spilt. 36-iv. 4.

459.

A guilty conscience.

Unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles : Infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.

15-v.l.

460. The power of conscience.

A wicked conscienceMouldeth goblins swift as frenzy thoughts. 26—v.11.

461.

Virtuous conflict.

O virtuous fight, When right with right wars, who shall be most right!

26-iii.2.

462.

Patience. How poor are they, that have not patience !What wound did ever heal, but by degrees? 37—ii. 3. 463.

The same. With patience calm the storm. 23-iii. 3. 464.

The same.
Let us teach our trial patience,
Because it is a customary cross.

7-i. 1. 465.

The same.
Oh, you blessed ministers above,
Keep me in patience; and with ripen'd time,
Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up
In countenancei !

5-V.I. 466. A heart fortified by patience.

Since he stands obdurate,
And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy’sk reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury; and am arm’d
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of ħis.

9-iv. 1. 467.

Prudence. It is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest.

6-i. 3. 468.

The same. Who buys a minute's mirth, to wail a week ? Or sells eternity to get a toy? For one sweet grape, who will the vine destroy ? Or what fond beggar, but to touch the crown, Would with the sceptre straight be strucken down?

Poems. 469.

Temperance.
Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty:
For in my youth I never did apply,
Hot and rebellious liquors in my blood;
Nor did not with unbashful forehead woo

False appearances, hypocrisy. * Hatred, malice.

i