"The quality of Mercy is not strained,
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneath."
What is the meaning of the word "strained?" The verb _to strain_ is
susceptible of two essentially different interpretations; and the question
is as to which of the two is here intended? On referring to Johnson's
Dictionary, we find, amongst other synonymous terms, _To squeeze through
something; to purify by filtration; to weaken by too much violence; to push
to its utmost strength_. Now, if we substitute either of the two latter
meanings, we shall have an assertion that "Mercy is not weakened by too
much violence (or put to its utmost strength), but droppeth, as the gentle
rain from heaven," &c., where it would require a most discerning editor to
explain the connexion between the two clauses. If, on the other hand, we
take the first two meanings, the passage is capable of being understood, if
nothing else. Beginning with _to squeeze through something_; what would
present itself to our ideas would be, that "Mercy does not fall in one
continuous stream (as would be the case, if _strained_) on one particular
portion of the earth, but expands into a large and universal shower, so as
to spread its influence over the entire globe." This, however, though not
absurd, is, I fear, rather forced.
To come to the second explanation of _to purify_, which in my opinion is
the most apt, I take it that Shakspeare intended to say, that "Mercy is so
pure and undefiled as to require no cleansing, but falls as gently and
unsullied as the showers from heaven, ere soiled by the impurities of
earth."
With these few remarks, I shall leave the matter in the hands of those
whose researches into the English language may have been deeper than my
own, with a hope that they may possess time and inclination to promote the
elucidation of a difficulty in one of the most beautiful passages of our
great national bard; a difficulty, by the way, which seems to have escaped
the notice of all the editors and commentators.