Saturday, June 18, 2005
[1812 - President James Madison signs declaration of war against Great Britain]
[1877 - James Montgomery Flagg, illustrator, born in Pelham Manor, New York]
[1913 - Sammy Cahn (Samuel Cohen), composer, born in New York City]
[1917 - Richard (Allen) Boone, actor, born in Los Angeles, California]
[1942 - First African-American officer, Bernard W. Robinson, commissioned in Naval Reserve]
The Quality of Justice
In The Merchant of Venice the Bard tell us that:
The quality of mercy is not strained,
It falleth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
. . .
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy,
William Shakespeare, being somewhat more talented than poorwilliam, said it for the ages. Poorwilliam cannot resist adding for this age of ours:
The quality of justice is sadly stained,It falleth more harshly upon the poor, and
on the downtrodden: it is twice cursed;
It curseth him that metes it out and him that gets.
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in pursuit of justice, none of us
Find salvation: we do pay dearly for mercy.
If mercy be not strained, justice surely is.
'Tis sifted through the filter of the purse.
Upon the poor pours through mesh of chicken wire;
The rich sheltered by so fine a sieve as man desire.
William's Whimsical Words:
So pilgrim come not naively to the bar,
And seek ye justice from those who dwell
In court anon. Rather catch a legal star,
And plead the bargain pays him very well.
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