I HEARD two neighbours talk the other night About this new distemper-giving plan, Which some—so wrong, and others think—so right; Short was the dialogue, and thus it ran,— "If I had twenty children of my own, "I would inoculate them ev'ry one." @3Ay, but should any of them die, what moan Would then be made for venturing thereupon!@1 "No; I should think that I had done the best, "And be resign'd whatever should befall." @3But could you really be so quite at rest?@1 "I could."—@3Then why inoculate at all, Since to resign a child to God, who gave, Is full as easy and as just a part When sick and led by nature to the grave, As when in health to drive it there by art?@1 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE VOICELESS by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES THE MILKING-MAID by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI FIRST OF MAY by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH A LITTLE PARABLE by ANNE REEVE ALDRICH MY GHOSTS by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS MYSTERIOUS LIFE by EMMA BERGSTROM A WOMAN'S SONNETS: 10 by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT |