The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. - Volume 07: Historical and Political Tracts-IrishSwift, Jonathan
General
The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. - Volume 07: Historical and Political Tracts-Irish
Swift, Jonathan
Ireland -- Politics and government -- 18th century
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 increase the care and tenderness of mothers toward
their children, when they were sure of a settlement for life, to the
poor babes, provided in some sort by the public to their annual profit
instead of expense. We should 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 sows when
they are ready to farrow, nor offer to beat or kick them (as it 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 barrelled 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 yearling child, which roasted whole
will make a considerable figure at a Lord Mayor's feast, or any other
public entertainment. But this, and many others I omit being studious of
brevity.
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 weddings and christenings, I compute that
Dublin would take off annually about twenty thousand carcasses, and the
rest of the kingdom (where probably they will be sold somewhat cheaper)
the remaining eighty thousand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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