forth He call'd
Into His presence three bright ministers--
Justice, and Truth, and Mercy, that forever
Had hovered around His throne--and thus He spoke;
"Shall we make man?" Then stern Justice replied:
"Create him not, for he will trample on
Thy holy law;" and Truth, too, answering, said,
"Create him not, O God! he will pollute
Thy sanctuary!" When forth Mercy came,
And dropping on her knees, exclaimed: "O God!
Create him! I will watch his wandering steps,
And tender guide thro' all the darksome paths
That he may tread." Then forthwith God made man,
And said: "Thou art the child of Mercy; go:
In mercy with thy erring brother deal."

--_Judge Crittenden, of Ky._

1334

MERCY.

Think not the good,
The gentle deeds of mercy thou hast done,
Shall die forgotten all; the poor, the prisoner,
The fatherless, the friendless, and the widow,
Who daily owe the bounty of thy hand,
Shall cry to Heaven, and pull a blessing on thee.

--_Nicholas Rowe._

1335

He that showeth mercy when it may be best spared will receive mercy when
it shall be most needed.

1336

MERCY.

I would not enter on my list of friends
(Though graced with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility) the man
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.
An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls at evening in the public path;
But he that has humanity forewarn'd,
Will tread aside, and let the reptile live.
Ye, who love mercy, teach your sons
To love it too.

--_Cowper._

1337

It is beautifully said that the veil of futurity is woven by the hand of
mercy.

--_Bulwer-Lytton._

1338

We pray for mercy, Let that same prayer teach us to render The deeds of
mercy.

--_Shakespeare._

1339

Merit does not always meet its due reward.

1340

Merit and good-breeding will make their way everywhere.

1341

All are not merry that dance lightly.

--_Herbert._

1342

When I dinna ken what I say, Sandy,
And ye dinna ken what I mean--that's metaphysics.