AModestProposal原文.docx

AModestProposal原文.docx

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AModestProposal原文

AModestProposal

ForPreventingtheChildrenofPoorPeople

inIreland,fromBeingaBurdenonTheirParents

orCountry,andforMakingThem

BeneficialtothePublick

ByJonathanSwift

EditedandannotatedbyJackLynch

SwiftwasIrish,andthoughhemuchpreferredlivinginEngland,heresentedBritishpoliciestowardtheIrish.InalettertoPopeof1729,hewrote,"Imagineanationthetwo-thirdsofwhoserevenuesarespentoutofit,andwhoarenotpermittedtotradewiththeotherthird,andwheretheprideofthewomenwillnotsuffer[allow]themtoweartheirownmanufacturesevenwheretheyexcelwhatcomefromabroad:

ThisisthetruestateofIrelandinaveryfewwords."HissupportforIrishcauseshasmadehimarenownedfigureinmodernIreland.Theparagraphnumbershavebeenaddedforthisedition.

[1]ItisamelanchollyObjecttothose,whowalkthroughthisgreatTown, 1 ortravelintheCountry,whentheyseetheStreets,theRoads,andCabbin-Doors,crowdedwithBeggarsofthefemaleSex,followedbythree,four,orsixChildren,allinRags,andimportuningeveryPassengerforanAlms.TheseMothersinsteadofbeingabletoworkfortheirhonestlivelyhood,areforcedtoemployalltheirtimeinStroling,tobegSustenancefortheirhelplessInfants,who,astheygrowupeitherturnThievesforwantofwork,orleavetheirdearnativeCountrytofightforthePretenderinSpain, 2 orsellthemselvestotheBarbadoes. 3 

[2]IthinkitisagreedbyallParties,thatthisprodigiousnumberofChildren,intheArms,orontheBacks,orattheheelsoftheirMothers,andfrequentlyoftheirFathers,isinthepresentdeplorablestateoftheKingdom,averygreatadditionalgrievance;andthereforewhoevercouldfindoutafair,cheapandeasymethodofmakingtheseChildrensoundandusefulMembersofthecommon-wealthwoulddeservesowellofthepublick,astohavehisStatuesetupforapreserveroftheNation.

[3]ButmyIntentionisveryfarfrombeingconfinedtoprovideonlyfortheChildrenofprofessedbeggars,itisofamuchgreaterextent,andshalltakeinthewholenumberofInfantsatacertainAge,whoarebornofParentsineffectaslittleabletosupportthem,asthosewhodemandourCharityintheStreets.

[4]Astomyownpart,havingturnedmythoughtsformanyYears,uponthisimportantSubject,andmaturelyweighedtheseveralSchemesofotherProjectors, 4 Ihavealwaysfoundthemgrosslymistakenintheircomputation.ItistrueaChild,justdroptfromit'sDam, 5 maybesupportedbyherMilk,foraSolaryearwithlittleotherNourishment,atmostnotabovetheValueoftwoShillings,whichtheMothermaycertainlyget,ortheValueinScraps,byherlawfulOccupationofbegging,anditisexactlyatoneyearOldthatIproposetoprovideforthem,insuchamanner,as,insteadofbeingaChargeupontheirParents,ortheParish, 6 orwanting 7 FoodandRaimentfortherestoftheirLives,theyshall,ontheContrary,contributetotheFeedingandpartlytotheCloathingofmanyThousands.

[5]ThereislikewiseanothergreatAdvantageinmyScheme,thatitwillpreventthosevoluntaryAbortions,andthathorridpracticeofWomenmurderingtheirBastardChildren,alas!

toofrequentamongus,SacrificingthepoorinnocentBabes,Idoubt, 8 moretoavoidtheExpence,thantheShame,whichwouldmoveTearsandPityinthemostSavageandinhumanbreast.

[6]ThenumberofSoulsinthisKingdombeingusuallyreckonedoneMillionandahalf,OftheseIcalculatetheremaybeabouttwohundredthousandCouplewhoseWivesarebreeders,fromwhichnumberISubstractthirtyThousandCouples,whoareabletomaintaintheirownChildren,althoughIapprehend 9 therecannotbesomany,underthepresentdistressesoftheKingdom,butthisbeinggranted,therewillremainanhundredandseventythousandBreeders.IagainSubtractfiftyThousandforthoseWomenwhomiscarry,orwhoseChildrendyebyaccident,ordiseasewithintheYear.ThereonlyremainanhundredandtwentythousandChildrenofpoorParentsannuallyborn:

Thequestionthereforeis,Howthisnumbershallbereared,andprovidedfor,which,asIhavealreadysaid,underthepresentSituationofAffairs,isutterlyimpossiblebyallthemethodshithertoproposed,forwecanneitheremploytheminHandicraft,orAgriculture;weneitherbuildHouses,（ImeanintheCountry）norcultivateLand:

 10 theycanveryseldompickupaLivelyhoodbyStealinguntiltheyarriveatsixyearsOld,exceptwheretheyareoftowardlyparts, 11 although,IconfesstheylearntheRudimentsmuchearlier;duringwhichtimetheycanhoweverbeproperlylookedupononlyasProbationers,asIhavebeeninformedbyaprincipalGentlemanintheCountyofCavan,whoprotestedtome,thatheneverknewaboveoneortwoInstancesundertheAgeofsix,eveninapartoftheKingdomsorenowned