Evolution
Another of Those Outlines
By George S. Chappell
I
Time. The Beginning .
When Adam sat with lovely Eve
And, pressed his Primal suit,
There was a ban, if we believe
Our Genesis, on fruit.
But did it give old Adam pause,
This One and only law there was?
X
Nine verses are supposed to elapse .
And then great Moses, on the crest
Of Sinai, did devise
His tablets, acting for the best,
(Though some thought otherwise).
At least he showed restraint, for then
Man’s sins were limited to Ten,
C
Ninety-nine verses elapse .
In later days the Romans proud
Their famous Code began.
And lots of things were not allowed
By just Justinian.
He wrote a list, stupendous long;
“One Hundred Ways of Going Wrong.”
M
Nine hundred and ninety-nine verses elapse .
Napoleon, (see Wells’s book)
Improved the Roman plan
By spotting a potential crook
In every fellow-man.
And by the Thousand off they went
To jail, until proved innocent.
MDCCCCXXII
Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine verses elapse .
Now in the change-about complete
Since Adam Passed from View.
For apples we are urged to eat
And all else is taboo.
A Million laws hold us in thrall,
And we serenely break them all!