being entirely of our own growth and manufacture.Fourthly, The constant breeders, besides the gain ofeight shillings sterling per annum by the sale of their children, will be ridof the charge of maintaining them after the first year.Fifthly,This food would likewise bring great custom to taverns, where the vintners willcertainly be so prudent as to procure the best receipts for dressing it toperfection; and consequently have their houses frequented by all the finegentlemen, who justly value themselves upon their knowledge in good eating; anda skilful cook, who understands how to oblige his guests, will contrive to makeit 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 lawsand penalties. It would encrease the care and tenderness of mothers towardstheir 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 ofexpence. We should soon see an honest emulation among the married women, whichof them could bring the fattest child to the market. Men would become as fondof their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of theirmares in foal, their cows in calf, or sow when they are ready to farrow; noroffer to beat or kick them (as is too frequent a practice) for fear of amiscarriage.Many other advantages might be enumerated. Forinstance, the addition of some thousand carcasses in our exportation ofbarreld beef: the propagation of swines flesh, and improvement in the art ofmaking 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 ormagnificence to a well grown, fat yearly child, which roasted whole will make aconsiderable figure at a Lord Mayors feast, or any other publickentertainment. But this, and many others, I omit, being studious of brevity.Supposing that onethousand families in this city, would be constant customers for infants flesh,besides others who might have it at merry meetings, particularly at weddingsand christenings, I compute that Dublin would take off annually about twentythousand carcasses; and the rest of the kingdom (where probably they will besold somewhat cheaper) the remaining eighty thousand.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 Ifreely 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 oneindividual 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: Oftaxing our absentees at five shillings a pound: Of using neither cloaths, norhoushold furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: Ofutterly rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: Ofcuring the expensiveness of pride, vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women:Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: Of learning tolove our country,