Songs Of Education: VI. Hygiene

Form 394411102, Sub-Section X "All practical Eugenists are agreed on the importance of sleep."--The Eugenic Congress.     When Science taught mankind to breathe     A little while ago,     Only a wise and thoughtful few     Were really in the know:     Nor could the Youth his features wreathe,     Puffing from all the lungs beneath:     When Duty whispered softly "Breathe!"     The Youth would answer "Blow!"     When Science proved with lucid care     The need of Exercise,     Our thoughtless Youth was climbing trees     Or lightly blacking eyes:     To reckless idlers breaking bounds     For football or for hare-and-hounds,     Or fighting hard for fourteen rounds,     It came as a surprise.     But when she boldly counsels Sleep     To persons when in bed,     Then, then indeed men blush to see     The daybreak blushing red:     The early risers whom we term     Healthy, grow sickly and infirm;     The Early Bird who caught the Worm     Will catch the Germ instead.     For this at least be Science praised     If all the rest be rot,     That now she snubs the priggish child     That quits too soon his cot:     The pharisaic pachyderm     Of spiritual pride shall squirm:     The Early Bird catches the worm,     The Worm that dieth not.