Swift, Johnathan - A Modest Proposal

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A Modest Proposal

Johnathan Swift

http://www.blackmask.com

A Modest Proposal for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a

burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick.

by Dr. Jonathan Swift. 1729

It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see

the streets, the roads and cabbin−doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or

six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. These mothers instead of being able to

work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their

helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country,

to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.

I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the

heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very

great additional grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making

these children sound and useful members of the common−wealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to

have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.

But my intention is very far from being confined to provide only for the children of professed beggars: it is of

a much greater extent, and shall take in the whole number of infants at a certain age, who are born of parents

in effect as little able to support them, as those who demand our charity in the streets.

As to my own part, having turned my thoughts for many years, upon this important subject, and maturely

weighed the several schemes of our projectors, I have always found them grossly mistaken in their

computation. It is true, a child just dropt from its dam, may be supported by her milk, for a solar year, with

little other nourishment: at most not above the value of two shillings, which the mother may certainly get, or

the value in scraps, by her lawful occupation of begging; and it is exactly at one year old that I propose to

provide for them in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting

food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to

the cloathing of many thousands.

There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and

that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children, alas! too frequent among us, sacrificing the

poor innocent babes, I doubt, more to avoid the expence than the shame, which would move tears and pity in

the most savage and inhuman breast.

The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there

may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders; from which number I subtract thirty

thousand couple, who are able to maintain their own children, (although I apprehend there cannot be so

A Modest Proposal 1

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Swift, Johnathan - A Modest Proposal

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