Averyworthyperson，atrueloverofhiscountry，andwhosevirtuesIhighlyesteem，waslatelypleased，indiscoursingonthismatter，toofferarefinementuponmyscheme。Hesaid，thatmanygentlemenofthiskingdom，havingoflatedestroyedtheirdeer，heconceivedthatthewantofvenisonmightbewellsupply\'dbythebodiesofyoungladsandmaidens，notexceedingfourteenyearsofage，norundertwelve；sogreatanumberofbothsexesineverycountrybeingnowreadytostarveforwantofworkandservice：Andthesetobedisposedofbytheirparentsifalive，orotherwisebytheirnearestrelations。Butwithduedeferencetosoexcellentafriend，andsodeservingapatriot，I
cannotbealtogetherinhissentiments；forastothemales，myAmericanacquaintanceassuredmefromfrequentexperience，thattheirfleshwasgenerallytoughandlean，likethatofourschool-boys，bycontinualexercise，andtheirtastedisagreeable，andtofattenthemwouldnotanswerthecharge。Thenastothefemales，itwould，Ithink，withhumblesubmission，bealosstothepublick，becausetheysoonwouldbecomebreedersthemselves：
Andbesides，itisnotimprobablethatsomescrupulouspeoplemightbeapttocensuresuchapractice，（althoughindeedveryunjustly）asalittleborderinguponcruelty，which，Iconfess，hathalwaysbeenwithmethestrongestobjectionagainstanyproject，howwellsoeverintended。
Butinordertojustifymyfriend，heconfessed，thatthisexpedientwasputintohisheadbythefamousSalmanaazor，anativeoftheislandFormosa，whocamefromthencetoLondon，abovetwentyyearsago，andinconversationtoldmyfriend，thatinhiscountry，whenanyyoungpersonhappenedtobeputtodeath，theexecutionersoldthecarcasstopersonsofquality，asaprimedainty；andthat，inhistime，thebodyofaplumpgirloffifteen，whowascrucifiedforanattempttopoisontheEmperor，wassoldtohisimperialmajesty\'sprimeministerofstate，andothergreatmandarinsofthecourtinjointsfromthegibbet，atfourhundredcrowns。NeitherindeedcanIdeny，thatifthesameuseweremadeofseveralplumpyounggirlsinthistown，whowithoutonesinglegroattotheirfortunes，cannotstirabroadwithoutachair，andappearataplay-houseandassembliesinforeignfinerieswhichtheyneverwillpayfor；thekingdomwouldnotbetheworse。
Somepersonsofadespondingspiritareingreatconcernaboutthatvastnumberofpoorpeople，whoareaged，diseased，ormaimed；andIhavebeendesiredtoemploymythoughtswhatcoursemaybetaken，toeasethenationofsogrievousanincumbrance。
ButIamnotintheleastpainuponthatmatter，becauseitisverywellknown，thattheyareeverydaydying，androtting，bycoldandfamine，andfilth，andvermin，asfastascanbereasonablyexpected。Andastotheyounglabourers，theyarenowinalmostashopefulacondition。Theycannotgetwork，andconsequentlypineawayfromwantofnourishment，toadegree，thatifatanytimetheyareaccidentallyhiredtocommonlabour，theyhavenotstrengthtoperformit，andthusthecountryandthemselvesarehappilydeliveredfromtheevilstocome。
Ihavetoolongdigressed，andthereforeshallreturntomysubject。IthinktheadvantagesbytheproposalwhichIhavemadeareobviousandmany，aswellasofthehighestimportance。
Forfirst，asIhavealreadyobserved，itwouldgreatlylessenthenumberofPapists，withwhomweareyearlyover-run，beingtheprincipalbreedersofthenation，aswellasourmostdangerousenemies，andwhostayathomeonpurposewithadesigntodeliverthekingdomtothePretender，hopingtotaketheiradvantagebytheabsenceofsomanygoodProtestants，whohavechosenrathertoleavetheircountry，thanstayathomeandpaytithesagainsttheirconsciencetoanepiscopalcurate。
Secondly，Thepoorertenantswillhavesomethingvaluableoftheirown，whichbylawmaybemadeliabletoadistress，andhelptopaytheirlandlord\'srent，theircornandcattlebeingalreadyseized，andmoneyathingunknown。
Thirdly，Whereasthemaintainanceofanhundredthousandchildren，fromtwoyearsold，andupwards，cannotbecomputedatlessthantenshillingsapieceperannum，thenation\'sstockwillbetherebyencreasedfiftythousandpoundsperannum，besidestheprofitofanewdish，introducedtothetablesofallgentlemenoffortuneinthekingdom，whohaveanyrefinementintaste。Andthemoneywillcirculateamongourselves，thegoodsbeingentirelyofourowngrowthandmanufacture。
Fourthly，Theconstantbreeders，besidesthegainofeightshillingssterlingperannumbythesaleoftheirchildren，willberidofthechargeofmaintainingthemafterthefirstyear。
Fifthly，Thisfoodwouldlikewisebringgreatcustomtotaverns，wherethevintnerswillcertainlybesoprudentastoprocurethebestreceiptsfordressingittoperfection；andconsequentlyhavetheirhousesfrequentedbyallthefinegentlemen，whojustlyvaluethemselvesupontheirknowledgeingoodeating；andaskilfulcook，whounderstandshowtoobligehisguests，willcontrivetomakeitasexpensiveastheyplease。
Sixthly，Thiswouldbeagreatinducementtomarriage，whichallwisenationshaveeitherencouragedbyrewards，orenforcedbylawsandpenalties。Itwouldencreasethecareandtendernessofmotherstowardstheirchildren，whentheyweresureofasettlementforlifetothepoorbabes，providedinsomesortbythepublick，totheirannualprofitinsteadofexpence。Weshouldsoonseeanhonestemulationamongthemarriedwomen，whichofthemcouldbringthefattestchildtothemarket。Menwouldbecomeasfondoftheirwives，duringthetimeoftheirpregnancy，astheyarenowoftheirmaresinfoal，theircowsincalf，orsowwhentheyarereadytofarrow；noroffertobeatorkickthem（asistoofrequentapractice）forfearofamiscarriage。
Manyotheradvantagesmightbeenumerated。Forinstance，theadditionofsomethousandcarcassesinourexportationofbarrel\'dbeef：thepropagationofswine\'sflesh，andimprovementintheartofmakinggoodbacon，somuchwantedamongusbythegreatdestructionofpigs，toofrequentatourtables；whicharenowaycomparableintasteormagnificencetoawellgrown，fatyearlychild，whichroastedwholewillmakeaconsiderablefigureataLordMayor\'sfeast，oranyotherpublickentertainment。Butthis，andmanyothers，Iomit，beingstudiousofbrevity。
Supposingthatonethousandfamiliesinthiscity，wouldbeconstantcustomersforinfantsflesh，besidesotherswhomighthaveitatmerrymeetings，particularlyatweddingsandchristenings，IcomputethatDublinwouldtakeoffannuallyabouttwentythousandcarcasses；andtherestofthekingdom（whereprobablytheywillbesoldsomewhatcheaper）theremainingeightythousand。
Icanthinkofnooneobjection，thatwillpossiblyberaisedagainstthisproposal，unlessitshouldbeurged，thatthenumberofpeoplewillbetherebymuchlessenedinthekingdom。ThisI
freelyown，and\'twasindeedoneprincipaldesigninofferingittotheworld。Idesirethereaderwillobserve，thatIcalculatemyremedyforthisoneindividualKingdomofIreland，andfornootherthateverwas，is，or，Ithink，evercanbeuponEarth。
Thereforeletnomantalktomeofotherexpedients：Oftaxingourabsenteesatfiveshillingsapound：Ofusingneithercloaths，norhousholdfurniture，exceptwhatisofourowngrowthandmanufacture：Ofutterlyrejectingthematerialsandinstrumentsthatpromoteforeignluxury：Ofcuringtheexpensivenessofpride，vanity，idleness，andgaminginourwomen：Ofintroducingaveinofparsimony，prudenceandtemperance：Oflearningtoloveourcountry，whereinwedifferevenfromLaplanders，andtheinhabitantsofTopinamboo：Ofquittingouranimositiesandfactions，noractinganylongerliketheJews，whoweremurderingoneanotherattheverymomenttheircitywastaken：Ofbeingalittlecautiousnottosellourcountryandconsciencesfornothing：Ofteachinglandlordstohaveatleastonedegreeofmercytowardstheirtenants。Lastly，ofputtingaspiritofhonesty，industry，andskillintoourshop-keepers，who，ifaresolutioncouldnowbetakentobuyonlyournativegoods，wouldimmediatelyunitetocheatandexactuponusintheprice，themeasure，andthegoodness，norcouldeveryetbebroughttomakeonefairproposalofjustdealing，thoughoftenandearnestlyinvitedtoit。
ThereforeIrepeat，letnomantalktomeoftheseandthelikeexpedients，\'tillhehathatleastsomeglympseofhope，thattherewilleverbesomeheartyandsincereattempttoputthemintopractice。
But，astomyself，havingbeenweariedoutformanyyearswithofferingvain，idle，visionarythoughts，andatlengthutterlydespairingofsuccess，Ifortunatelyfelluponthisproposal，which，asitiswhollynew，soithathsomethingsolidandreal，ofnoexpenceandlittletrouble，fullinourownpower，andwherebywecanincurnodangerindisobligingEngland。Forthiskindofcommoditywillnotbearexportation，andfleshbeingoftootenderaconsistence，toadmitalongcontinuanceinsalt，althoughperhapsIcouldnameacountry，whichwouldbegladtoeatupourwholenationwithoutit。
Afterall，Iamnotsoviolentlybentuponmyownopinion，astorejectanyoffer，proposedbywisemen，whichshallbefoundequallyinnocent，cheap，easy，andeffectual。Butbeforesomethingofthatkindshallbeadvancedincontradictiontomyscheme，andofferingabetter，Idesiretheauthororauthorswillbepleasedmaturelytoconsidertwopoints。First，Asthingsnowstand，howtheywillbeabletofindfoodandraimentforahundredthousanduselessmouthsandbacks。Andsecondly，Therebeingaroundmillionofcreaturesinhumanefigurethroughoutthiskingdom，whosewholesubsistenceputintoacommonstock，wouldleavethemindebttwomillionofpoundssterling，addingthosewhoarebeggarsbyprofession，tothebulkoffarmers，cottagersandlabourers，withtheirwivesandchildren，whoarebeggarsineffect；Idesirethosepoliticianswhodislikemyoverture，andmayperhapsbesoboldtoattemptananswer，thattheywillfirstasktheparentsofthesemortals，whethertheywouldnotatthisdaythinkitagreathappinesstohavebeensoldforfoodatayearold，inthemannerIprescribe，andtherebyhaveavoidedsuchaperpetualsceneofmisfortunes，astheyhavesincegonethrough，bytheoppressionoflandlords，theimpossibilityofpayingrentwithoutmoneyortrade，thewantofcommonsustenance，withneitherhousenorcloathstocoverthemfromtheinclemenciesoftheweather，andthemostinevitableprospectofintailingthelike，orgreatermiseries，upontheirbreedforever。
Iprofess，inthesincerityofmyheart，thatIhavenottheleastpersonalinterestinendeavouringtopromotethisnecessarywork，havingnoothermotivethanthepublickgoodofmycountry，byadvancingourtrade，providingforinfants，relievingthepoor，andgivingsomepleasuretotherich。Ihavenochildren，bywhichIcanproposetogetasinglepenny；theyoungestbeingnineyearsold，andmywifepastchild-bearing。
