of verses, which he accordingly subjoins, in honour of the fair M.D.]
Not always is the warrior male,
Nor masculine the sailor;
We all know Zaragossa's tale,
We've all heard 'Billy Taylor;'
But far a nobler heroine, she
Who won the palm of knowledge,
And took a Medical Degree,
By study at her College.
They talk about the gentler sex
Mankind in sickness tending,
And o'er the patient's couch their necks
Solicitously bending;
But what avails solicitude
In fever or in phthisic,
If lovely woman's not imbued
With one idea of physic?
Young ladies all, of every clime,
Especially of Britain,
Who wholly occupy your time
In novels or in knitting,
Whose highest skill is but to play,
Sing, dance, or French to clack well.
Reflect on the example, pray,
Of excellent Miss Blackwell!
Think, if you had a brother ill,
A husband, or a lover,
And could prescribe the draught or pill
Whereby he might recover;
How much more useful this would be,
Oh, sister, wife, or daughter!
Than merely handing him beef-tea,
Gruel, or toast-and-water.
Ye bachelors about to wed
In youth's unthinking hey-day,
Who look upon a furnish'd head
As horrid for a lady,
