a modest proposal-第1节

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A　Modest　Proposal



by　Jonathan　Swift










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　many；　under　the　present　distresses　of　the　kingdom）　but　this

being　granted；　there　will　remain　an　hundred　and　seventy　thousand

breeders。　I　again　subtract　fifty　thousand；　for　those　women　who

miscarry；　or　whose　children　die　by　accident　or　disease　within　the

year。　There　only　remain　an　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　children

of　poor　parents　annually　born。　The　question　therefore　is；　How

this　number　shall　be　reared；　and　provided　for？　which；　as　I　have

already　said；　under　the　present　situation　of　affairs；　is　utterly

impossible　by　all　the　methods　hitherto　proposed。　For　we　can

neither　employ　them　in　handicraft　or　agriculture；　we　neither

build　houses；　（I　mean　in　the　country）　nor　cultivate　land：　they

can　very　seldom　pick　up　a　livelihood　by　stealing　till　they　arrive

at　six　years　old；　except　where　they　are　of　towardly　parts；

although　I　confess　they　learn　the　rudiments　much　earlier；　during

which　time　they　can　however　be　properly　looked　upon　only　as

probationers：　As　I　have　been　informed　by　a　principal　gentleman　in

the　county　of　Cavan；　who　protested　to　me；　that　he　never　knew

above　one　or　two　instances　under　the　age　of　six；　even　in　a　part

of　the　kingdom　so　renowned　for　the　quickest　proficiency　in　that

art。



I　am　assured　by　our　merchants；　that　a　boy　or　a　girl　before　twelve

years　old；　is　no　saleable　commodity；　and　even　when　they　come　to

this　age；　they　will　not　yield　above　three　pounds；　or　three　pounds

and　half　a　crown　at　most；　on　the　exchange；　which　cannot　turn　to

account　either　to　the　parents　or　kingdom；　the　charge　of

nutriments　and　rags　having　been　at　least　four　times　that　value。



I　shall　now　therefore　humbly　propose　my　own　thoughts；　which　I

hope　will　not　be　liable　to　the　least　objection。



I　have　been　assured　by　a　very　knowing　American　of　my　acquaintance

in　London；　that　a　young　healthy　child　well　nursed；　is；　at　a　year

old；　a　most　delicious　nourishing　and　wholesome　food；　whether

stewed；　roasted；　baked；　or　boiled；　and　I　make　no　doubt　that　it

will　equally　serve　in　a　fricasie；　or　a　ragoust。



I　do　therefore　humbly　offer　it　to　publick　consideration；　that　of

the　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　children；　already　computed；

twenty　thousand　may　be　reserved　for　breed；　whereof　only　one

fourth　part　to　be　males；　which　is　more　than　we　allow　to　sheep；

black　cattle；　or　swine；　and　my　reason　is；　that　these　children　are

seldom　the　fruits　of　marriage；　a　circumstance　not　much　regarded

by　our　savages；　therefore；　one　male　will　be　sufficient　to　serve

four　females。　That　the　remaining　hundred　thousand　may；　at　a　year

old；　be　offered　in　sale　to　the　persons　of　quality　and　fortune；

through　the　kingdom；　always　advising　the　mother　to　let　them　suck

plentifully　in　the　last　month；　so　as　to　render　them　plump；　and

fat　for　a　good　table。　A　child　will　make　two　dishes　at　an

entertainment　for　friends；　and　when　the　family　dines　alone；　the

fore　or　hind　quarter　will　make　a　reasonable　dish；　and　seasoned

with　a　little　pepper　or　salt；　will　be　very　good　boiled　on　the

fourth　day；　especially　in　winter。



I　have　reckoned　upon　a　medium；　that　a　child　just　born　will　weigh

12　pounds；　and　in　a　solar　year；　if　tolerably　nursed；　encreaseth

to　28　pounds。



I　grant　this　food　will　be　somewhat　dear；　and　therefore　very

proper　for　landlords；　who；　as　they　have　already　devoured　most　of

the　parents；　seem　to　have　the　best　title　to　the　children。



Infant's　flesh　will　be　in　season　throughout　the　year；　but　more

plentiful　in　March；　and　a　little　before　and　after；　for　we　are

told　by　a　grave　author；　an　eminent　French　physician；　that　fish

being　a　prolifick　dyet；　there　are　more　children　born　in　Roman

Catholick　countries　about　nine　months　after　Lent；　the　markets

will　be　more　glutted　than　usual；　because　the　number　of　Popish

infants；　is　at　least　three　to　one　in　this　kingdom；　and　therefore

it　will　have　one　other　collateral　advantage；　by　lessening　the

number　of　Papists　among　us。



I　have　already　computed　the　charge　of　nursing　a　beggar's　child

（in　which　list　I　reckon　all　cottagers；　labourers；　and　four…fifths

of　the　farmers）　to　be　about　two　shillings　per　annum；　rags

included；　and　I　believe　no　gentleman　would　repine　to　give　ten

shillings　for　the　carcass　of　a　good　fat　child；　which；　as　I　have

said；　will　make　four　dishes　of　excellent　nutritive　meat；　when　he

hath　only　some　particular　friend；　or　his　own　family　to　dine　with

him。　Thus　the　squire　will　learn　to　be　a　good　landlord；　and　grow

popular　among　his　tenants；　the　mother　will　have　eight　shillings

neat　profit；　and　be　fit　for　work　till　she　produces　another　child。



Those　who　are　more　thrifty　（as　I　must　confess　the　times　require）

may　flea　the　carcass；　the　skin　of　which；　artificially　dressed；

will　make　admirable　gloves　for　ladies；　and　summer　boots　for　fine

gentlemen。



As　to　our　City　of　Dublin；　shambles　may　be　appointed　for　this

purpose；　in　the　most　convenient　parts　of　it；　and　butchers　we　may

be　assured　will　not　be　wanting；　although　I　rather　recommend

buying　the　children　alive；　and　dressing　them　hot　from　the　knife；

as　we　do　roasting　pigs。



A　very　worthy　person；　a　true　lover　of　his　country；　and　whose

virtues　I　highly　esteem；　was　lately　pleased；　in　discoursing　on

this　matter；　to　offer　a　refinement　upon　my　scheme。　He　said；　that

many　gentlemen　of　this　kingdom；　having　of　late　destroyed　their

deer；　he　conceived　that　the　want　of　venison　might　be　well

supply'd　by　the　bodies　of　young　lads　and　maidens；　not　exceeding

fourteen　years　of　age；　nor　under　twelve；　so　great　a　number　of

both　sexes　in　every　country　being　now　ready　to　starve　for　want　of

work　and　service：　And　these　to　be　disposed　of　by　their　parents　if

alive；　or　otherwise　by　their　nearest　relations。　But　with　due

deference　to　so　excellent　a　friend；　and　so　deserving　a