Some of these may be broken, and some may be rotten;

But if twenty for accidents should be detach'd,

It will leave me just sixty sound eggs to hatch'd.

"Well, sixty sound eggs—no; sound chickens, I mean;

Of these some may die—we'll suppose seventeen—

Seventeen!—not so many—say ten at the most,

Which will leave fifty chickens to boil or to roast.

"But then there's their barley; how much will they need?

Why they take but one grain at a time when they feed,

So that's a mere trifle; now then let us see,