Mr. PHILOSOPHER (to Ginx). You don't know what to do with your
infant, my friend, and you think the State ought to provide for
it? I understand you to say this is your thirteenth child. How
came you to have so many?

This question, though put with profound and even melancholy
gravity, disconcerted Ginx, Officer, and Chorus, who united in a
hearty outburst of laughter.

GINX. Haw, Haw, Haw! How came I to have so many? Why my old
woman's a good un and----

In fact, after searching his mind for some clever way of putting
a comical rejoinder, Ginx laughed boisterously. There are two
aspects of a question.

PHILOSOPHER. I am serious, my friend. Did it never occur to you
that you had no right to bring children into the world unless you
could feed and clothe and educate them?

CHORUS. Laws a' mercy!

GINX. I'd like to know how I could help it, naabor. I'm a
married man.

PHILOSOPHER. Well, I will go further and say you ought not to
have married without a fair prospect of being able to provide for
any contingent increase of family.