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 fricassee or a ragout...........Jonathan Swift.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
A Modest Proposal
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 fricassee or a ragout...........Jonathan Swift.
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8 comments:
It seems, a monster, he would be.
I think he's being sarcastic .. referring to Americans as barbarians ..which is certainly the image we used to have ..and continue to have ..in England, Europe and other civilized nations.
.....A Modest Proposal, is a satirical essay written and published by Jonathan Swift in 1729. Swift appears to suggest in his essay that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling children as food for rich gentlemen and ladies.
This is taken out of context! It is satire and later on in the essay Swift puts forward perfectly sensible proposals for alleviating the Irish poverty.
He is writing this for effect, to gain sympathy for the Irish and satirise the unfeeling attitudes towards their predicament.
Thanks for clearing that up...
Interesting ..in the absence of context ..I made one up.
... and that's what it's all about... good or bad, it happens... what to do...
Shimmerrings ~ that's for sure. What to do ..? I find it useful just to be aware that I'm doing it. Reminds me that there may be other perspectives that I'm not aware.
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