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1、AMODESTPROPOSALForpreventingthechildrenofpoorpeopleinIreland,frombeingaburdenontheirparentsorcountry,andformakingthembeneficialtothepublick.byDr.JonathanSwift1729Itisamelancholyobjecttothose,whowalkthroughthisgreattown,ortravelinthecountry,whentheyseethestreets,theroadsandcabbin-doorscrowde
2、dwithbeggarsofthefemalesex,followedbythree,four,orsixchildren,allinrags,andimportuningeverypassengerforanalms.Thesemothersinsteadofbeingabletoworkfortheirhonestlivelihood,areforcedtoemployalltheirtimeinstrolingtobegsustenancefortheirhelplessinfantswho,astheygrowup,eitherturnthievesforwantof
3、work,orleavetheirdearnativecountry,tofightforthePretenderinSpain,orsellthemselvestotheBarbadoes.Ithinkitisagreedbyallparties,thatthisprodigiousnumberofchildreninthearms,oronthebacks,orattheheelsoftheirmothers,andfrequentlyoftheirfathers,isinthepresentdeplorablestateofthekingdom,averygreatad
4、ditionalgrievance;andthereforewhoevercouldfindoutafair,cheapandeasymethodofmakingthesechildrensoundandusefulmembersofthecommon-wealth,woulddeservesowellofthepublick,astohavehisstatuesetupforapreserverofthenation.Butmyintentionisveryfarfrombeingconfinedtoprovideonlyforthechildrenofprofessedb
5、eggars:itisofamuchgreaterextent,andshalltakeinthewholenumberofinfantsatacertainage,whoarebornofparentsineffectaslittleabletosupportthem,asthosewhodemandourcharityinthestreets.Astomyownpart,havingturnedmythoughtsformanyyears,uponthisimportantsubject,andmaturelyweighedtheseveralschemesofourpr
6、ojectors,Ihavealwaysfoundthemgrosslymistakenintheircomputation.Itistrue,achildjustdroptfromitsdam,maybesupportedbyhermilk,forasolaryear,withlittleothernourishment:atmostnotabovethevalueoftwoshillings,whichthemothermaycertainlyget,orthevalueinscraps,byherlawfuloccupationofbegging;anditisexac
7、tlyatoneyearoldthatIproposetoprovidefortheminsuchamanner,as,insteadofbeingachargeupontheirparents,ortheparish,orwantingfoodandraimentfortherestoftheirlives,theyshall,onthecontrary,contributetothefeeding,andpartlytothecloathingofmanythousands.Thereislikew