Genre:

Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Scientific Naturalism, Evolution, Chemistry, Gender

    Responds to John Tyndall's claim (published in Tyndall 1871a) that chemists could 'make a baby' given the proper materials. Notes that an anonymous bard once thought he could do this. Observes that cooking 'sugar, and spice, and all things nice' might result in the creation of little girls and that mingling 'slugs and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails' might result in 'a brood of goblins whom a popular nursery-rhyme calls little boys'. Concludes that the 'Innocents' recently massacred—a reference to the people killed by soldiers in the Paris Commune—were made from these repugnant materials.

See also:

Paradis 1997