Francis Quarles, Emblems, Book III. Emblem XVI
“
'Tis vain to flee; till gentle Mercy show Her better eye, the farther off we go, The swing of Justice deals the mightier blow.
— Francis Quarles on Mercy
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "'Tis vain to flee; till gentle Mercy show Her better eye, the farther off we go, The swing of Justice deals the mightier blow." in the context of "Francis Quarles, Emblems, Book III. Emblem XVI" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Mercy" (Quotes: Alphabetized by author , Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 509-10.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Francis Quarles
Francis Quarles (baptised May 8, 1592, died September 8, 1644) was a prolific English prose-writer and poet. He is now best known for his Emblems (1638) and other moral and devotional verse.
About Francis Quarles
Francis Quarles (baptised May 8, 1592, died September 8, 1644) was a prolific English prose-writer and poet. He is now best known for his Emblems (1638) and other moral and devotional verse.
View all quotes →