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The law cannot forgive, for the law has not been wronged, only broken; only persons can be wronged. The law can pardon, but it can only pardon what it has the power to punish.

W. H. Auden
Law, Broken, Forgiving
"The Dyer's Hand, and Other Essays" by W. H. Auden, ("The Prince's Dog"), (p. 201), 1962.
The law cannot forgive, for the law has not been wronged, only broken; only persons can be wronged. The law can pardon, but it can only pardon what it has the power to punish.