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About this quote

What does it mean?
Nature claims women are her finest work since she practiced on men first.
In plain terms
Nature says women are better because she made men as practice.
What can you take from it?
Women are the pinnacle of natural design.

Where it applies

  • gender comparison
  • natural philosophy
  • compliment

Putting it to work

  • debating gender roles
  • poetic praise
  • nature writing

Questions to consider

  • Is nature intentional or accidental?
  • How do we value different roles?

Another view

It reduces women to a result of trial and error.

More from Robert Burns

  1. There's nought but care on ev'ry han', In every hour that passes, O: What signifies the life o' man, An' then she made the lasses, O.

    Permalink to quote #22
  2. Green grow the rashes, O; Green grow the rashes, O; The sweetest hours that e'er I spend Are spent among the lasses, O.

    Permalink to quote #24
  3. An atheist-laugh's a poor exchange For Deity offended.

    Permalink to quote #21

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