FRIENDSHIP'S AGONY. BASSANIO. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man? courage yet! The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood. a tainted wether of the ANTONIO. I am Meetest for death; the weakest kind of fruit MERCHANT OF VENICE, A. 4, s. 1. FRIENDS IN SIN ARE SELDOM many NORTHUMBERLAND, thou ladder wherewithal And he shall think, that thou, which know'st the way To plant unrightful kings, wilt know again, To pluck him headlong from the usurped throne. K. RICHARD II., A. 5, s. 1. FRIENDS IN COUNCIL :-ON GOVERNMENT. DUKE. Escalus, Of government the properties to unfold, My strength can give you: Then no more remains Put that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, For common justice, you are as pregnant in, That we remember: There is our commission, hither, you warp.-Call I say, bid come before us Angelo. What figure of us think you he will bear? Lent him our terror, drest him with our love; MEASURE FOR MEASURE, ▲. 1, s. 1. FRIENDS IN COUNCIL THE DIFFICULTY OF BEING GENTLE, AND YET SEVERE. DUKE. No; holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends Of burning youth. My holy sir, none better knows than you I have deliver'd to lord Angelo (A man of stricture, and firm abstinence,) My absolute power and place here in Vienna, And he supposes me travell'd to Poland; For so I have strewed it in the common ear, And so it is receiv'd: Now, pious sir, You will demand of me, why I do this? We have strict statutes, and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs for head-strong steeds,) Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep; Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers, Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: so our decrees, Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead; The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart FRIAR. It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice, when you pleas'd: And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd, Than in lord Angelo. DUKE. I do fear, too dreadful: Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, 'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them For what I bid them do: For we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permissive pass, And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father, I have on Angelo impos'd the office; Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home, And yet my nature never in the sight, To do it slander: And to behold his sway, Supply me with the habit, and instruct me Like a true friar. More reasons for this action, Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, A. 1, s. 4. I come to know your pleasure. DUKE. Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, That, to the observer, doth thy history Fully unfold: Thyself and thy belongings Are not thine own so proper, as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee. Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do; Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, But to fine issues: nor nature never lends Herself the glory of a creditor, Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech In our remove, be thou at full ourself: Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus, you, As time and our concernings shall impórtune, ANG. Yet, give leave, my lord, |