A friend of mine while vacationing in Australia stopped in Merci - a
small outback town between Perth, the capital city of western Australia,
and Albany, the oldest continuous settlement on the western coast -
for a bite to eat since he had not yet eaten breakfast. So a nice
morning tea, as they call brunch down below, of fish and chips –
Australian snapper with a light batter made with soda and self-rising
flour plus the tallow in the fryer and nicely home fried chips to die
for plus a large brown pot of tea, listed on the menu as Koala Tea were a
welcomed repast. My friend, Walther, had dug right in, so to speak, and
told me how delicious the fish and chips were. But the tea although of
a wonderful flavour nearly choked him with the tea leaves left still in the
cup. So he had politely complained to the waitress Portia who in turn replied.
“Surely sir, you know that
the koala tea of Merci is not strained"
the koala tea of Merci is not strained"
“The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes
The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
His scepter 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 sceptered sway.
It is enthronèd 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. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.”
― The Merchant of Venice
