Measure for Measure 12

Some Shake-Speare / Bacon parallels in Measure for Measure (12)

Shake-Speare:

Isabel: “Yet show some pity”.

Angelo: “I show it most of all when I show justice; for then I pity those I do not know, which a dismissed offence would after gall, and do him right that, answering one foul wrong, lives not to act another.”

Measure for Measure, 2.2.100

York: ”If thou do pardon whosoever pray,

    More sins for this forgiveness prosper may.

    This fest'red joint cut off, the rest rest sound;

    This let alone will all the rest confound.”

Richard II, 5.3,82

Bacon:

“But lest this principle might seem to include all kinds of compassion, Solomon wisely adds that ‘the mercies of the wicked are cruel.’ Such is the sparing to use the sword of justice upon wicked and guilty men; for this kind of mercy is the greatest of all cruelties, as cruelty affects but particular persons whilst impunity lets loose the whole army of evil doers and drives them upon the innocent.”

De Augmentis, 8.2, Parabola 14

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Shake-Speare:

Angelo:“Those many had not dar’d to do that evil if the first that did the edict infringe had answered for his deed”.

Measure for Measure, 2.2.91

Bacon:

“It is the part of discipline to punish the first buddings of all grave offences”.

De Augmentis, 8.3.44

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Shake-Speare:

Escalus: “Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so; Pardon is still the nurse of second woe”.

Measure for Measure, 2.1.270

Bacon:

“No virtue is so often delinquent as clemency”.

Exempla Antihetorum