The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It read more

The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: 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 sceptred 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. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, 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. -The Merchant of Venice. Act iv. Sc. 1.

Or, having sworn too hard a keeping oath, Study to break it and not break my troth. -Love's Labour 's read more

Or, having sworn too hard a keeping oath, Study to break it and not break my troth. -Love's Labour 's Lost. Act i. Sc. 1.

He was a man Of an unbounded stomach. -King Henry VIII. Act iv. Sc. 2.

He was a man Of an unbounded stomach. -King Henry VIII. Act iv. Sc. 2.

Honour pricks me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I come on,—how then? Can honour set read more

Honour pricks me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I come on,—how then? Can honour set to a leg? no: or an arm? no: or take away the grief of a wound? no. Honour hath no skill in surgery, then? no. What is honour? a word. What is in that word honour; what is that honour? air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? he that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? no. Doth he hear it? no. 'T is insensible, then? yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the living? no. Why? detraction will not suffer it. Therefore I 'll none of it. Honour is a mere scutcheon. And so ends my catechism. -King Henry IV. Part I. Act v. Sc. 1.

A very ancient and fish-like smell. -The Tempest. Act ii. Sc. 2.

A very ancient and fish-like smell. -The Tempest. Act ii. Sc. 2.

We that are in the vaward of our youth. -King Henry IV. Part II. Act i. Sc. 2.

We that are in the vaward of our youth. -King Henry IV. Part II. Act i. Sc. 2.

A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience. -King Henry VIII. Act iii. Sc. 2.

A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience. -King Henry VIII. Act iii. Sc. 2.

For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never read more

For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth. -A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act i. Sc. 1.

A very valiant trencher-man. -Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.

A very valiant trencher-man. -Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.