COMMENT BY CATHERINE: Although the origin and meaning of the catchphrase set out in the epigraph have been debated [the concept of warning against avoidable errors, the rejection of the vital along with the expendable, the discarding of essence while retaining dross, a metaphorical warning against overreaction] the vivid images in this finely crafted sonnet — filled with wonderful metrical substitutions, inventive rhymes, a perfect mixture of alliteration and repetition, leading up to the chilling couplet — sings of evil and goodness, leaving the reader the option of deciding where that babe will go.
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