Contents:

A Modest Proposal ..............................................................................................................................................1

Johnathan Swift ........................................................................................................................................1

by Dr. Jonathan Swift. 1729.................................................................................................................................1

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.

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 cabbindoors 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,

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 commonwealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to

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

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 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

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

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,

I have reckoned upon a medium, that a child just born will weigh 12 pounds, and in a solar year, if tolerably

I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already

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 fourfifths 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

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 patriot, I cannot be altogether in his sentiments; for as to the males, my

American acquaintance assured me from frequent experience, that their flesh was generally tough and lean,

like that of our schoolboys, by continual exercise, and their taste disagreeable, and to fatten them would not

answer the charge. Then as to the females, it would, I think, with humble submission, be a loss to the publick,

because they soon would become breeders themselves: And besides, it is not improbable that some

scrupulous people might be apt to censure such a practice, (although indeed very unjustly) as a little

bordering upon cruelty, which, I confess, hath always been with me the strongest objection against any

But in order to justify my friend, he confessed, that this expedient was put into his head by the famous

Salmanaazor, a native of the island Formosa, who came from thence to London, above twenty years ago, and

in conversation told my friend, that in his country, when any young person happened to be put to death, the

executioner sold the carcass to persons of quality, as a prime dainty; and that, in his time, the body of a plump

girl of fifteen, who was crucified for an attempt to poison the Emperor, was sold to his imperial majesty's

prime minister of state, and other great mandarins of the court in joints from the gibbet, at four hundred

crowns. Neither indeed can I deny, that if the same use were made of several plump young girls in this town,

who without one single groat to their fortunes, cannot stir abroad without a chair, and appear at a playhouse

and assemblies in foreign fineries which they never will pay for; the kingdom would not be the worse.

Some persons of a desponding spirit are in great concern about that vast number of poor people, who are

aged, diseased, or maimed; and I have been desired to employ my thoughts what course may be taken, to ease

the nation of so grievous an incumbrance. But I am not in the least pain upon that matter, because it is very

well known, that they are every day dying, and rotting, by cold and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as

can be reasonably expected. And as to the young labourers, they are now in almost as hopeful a condition.

They cannot get work, and consequently pine away from want of nourishment, to a degree, that if at any time

they are accidentally hired to common labour, they have not strength to perform it, and thus the country and

I have too long digressed, and therefore shall return to my subject. I think the advantages by the proposal

For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly

overrun, being the principal breeders of the nation, as well as our most dangerous enemies, and who stay at

home on purpose with a design to deliver the kingdom to the Pretender, hoping to take their advantage by the

absence of so many good Protestants, who have chosen rather to leave their country, than stay at home and

Secondly, The poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to

a distress, and help to pay their landlord's rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing

Thirdly, Whereas the maintainance of an hundred thousand children, from two years old, and upwards,

cannot be computed at less than ten shillings a piece per annum, the nation's stock will be thereby encreased

fifty thousand pounds per annum, besides the profit of a new dish, introduced to the tables of all gentlemen of

fortune in the kingdom, who have any refinement in taste. And the money will circulate among our selves,

Fourthly, The constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum by the sale of their

Fifthly, This food would likewise bring great custom to taverns, where the vintners will certainly be so

prudent as to procure the best receipts for dressing it to perfection; and consequently have their houses

frequented by all the fine gentlemen, who justly value themselves upon their knowledge in good eating; and a

skilful cook, who understands how to oblige his guests, will contrive to make it as expensive as they please.

Sixthly, This would be a great inducement to marriage, which all wise nations have either encouraged by

rewards, or enforced by laws and penalties. It would encrease the care and tenderness of mothers towards

their children, when they were sure of a settlement for life to the poor babes, provided in some sort by the

publick, to their annual profit instead of expence. We should soon see an honest emulation among the married

women, which of them could bring the fattest child to the market. Men would become as fond of their wives,

during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sow when

they are ready to farrow; nor offer to beat or kick them (as is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.

Many other advantages might be enumerated. For instance, the addition of some thousand carcasses in our

exportation of barrel'd beef: the propagation of swine's flesh, and improvement in the art of making good

bacon, so much wanted among us by the great destruction of pigs, too frequent at our tables; which are no

way comparable in taste or magnificence to a well grown, fat yearly child, which roasted whole will make a

considerable figure at a Lord Mayor's feast, or any other publick entertainment. But this, and many others, I

Supposing that one thousand families in this city, would be constant customers for infants flesh, besides

others who might have it at merry meetings, particularly at weddings and christenings, I compute that Dublin

would take off annually about twenty thousand carcasses; and the rest of the kingdom (where probably they

I can think of no one objection, that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged,

that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom. This I freely own, and 'twas indeed

one principal design in offering it to the world. I desire the reader will observe, that I calculate my remedy for

this one individual Kingdom of Ireland, and for no other that ever was, is, or, I think, ever can be upon Earth.

Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: Of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound: Of

using neither cloaths, nor houshold furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: Of utterly

rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: Of curing the expensiveness of pride,

vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance:

Of learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from Laplanders, and the inhabitants of Topinamboo:

Of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one

another at the very moment their city was taken: Of being a little cautious not to sell our country and

consciences for nothing: Of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants.

Lastly, of putting a spirit of honesty, industry, and skill into our shopkeepers, who, if a resolution could now

be taken to buy only our native goods, would immediately unite to cheat and exact upon us in the price, the

measure, and the goodness, nor could ever yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though

Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, 'till he hath at least some glympse

of hope, that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice.

But, as to my self, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at

length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal, which, as it is wholly new, so it hath

something solid and real, of no expence and little trouble, full in our own power, and whereby we can incur

no danger in disobliging England. For this kind of commodity will not bear exportation, and flesh being of

too tender a consistence, to admit a long continuance in salt, although perhaps I could name a country, which

After all, I am not so violently bent upon my own opinion, as to reject any offer, proposed by wise men,

which shall be found equally innocent, cheap, easy, and effectual. But before something of that kind shall be

advanced in contradiction to my scheme, and offering a better, I desire the author or authors will be pleased

maturely to consider two points. First, As things now stand, how they will be able to find food and raiment

for a hundred thousand useless mouths and backs. And secondly, There being a round million of creatures in

humane figure throughout this kingdom, whose whole subsistence put into a common stock, would leave

them in debt two million of pounds sterling, adding those who are beggars by profession, to the bulk of

farmers, cottagers and labourers, with their wives and children, who are beggars in effect; I desire those

politicians who dislike my overture, and may perhaps be so bold to attempt an answer, that they will first ask

the parents of these mortals, whether they would not at this day think it a great happiness to have been sold

for food at a year old, in the manner I prescribe, and thereby have avoided such a perpetual scene of

misfortunes, as they have since gone through, by the oppression of landlords, the impossibility of paying rent

without money or trade, the want of common sustenance, with neither house nor cloaths to cover them from

the inclemencies of the weather, and the most inevitable prospect of intailing the like, or greater miseries,

I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavouring to promote

this necessary work, having no other motive than the publick good of my country, by advancing our trade,

providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. I have no children, by which I

can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past childbearing.