I have too long digressed, and therefore shall return to my subject. I think the advantages by the proposal which I have made are obvious and many, as well as of the highest importance.

digress?/da?'gres/ ?vi. 離題；走向岔道

愚已離題千里，還須言歸正傳。愚以為，拙見益處鮮明良多，非同小可。

For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being the principal breeders of the nation, as well as our most dangerous enemies, and who stay at home on purpose with a design to deliver the kingdom to the Pretender, hoping to take their advantage by the absence of so many good Protestants, who have chosen rather to leave their country than stay at home and pay tithes against their conscience to an episcopal curate.

其一，國家穩(wěn)定，危險可控。如前所述，有效控制天主教徒數(shù)量。天主教徒繁育過多，是國家的主要生育者，亦是最危險之?dāng)?。他們久居國?nèi)，靜待新教徒奔走他鄉(xiāng)以對抗什一稅；他們趁隙而出，圖謀向圣公會進貢整個國度。

Secondly, the poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress, and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown.

其二，貧農(nóng)有財，租金自來。窮苦佃農(nóng)將擁有獨立資產(chǎn)。谷物牛羊已然上貢，金錢財寶不曾窺見，他們一窮二白。若施行此舉，縱有三災(zāi)八難，他們亦可償付地租。

Thirdly, whereas the maintainance of a hundred thousand children, from two years old, and upwards, cannot be computed at less than ten shillings a piece per annum, the nation’s stock will be thereby encreased fifty thousand pounds per annum, besides the profit of a new dish, introduced to the tables of all gentlemen of fortune in the kingdom, who have any refinement?in taste. And the money will circulate among ourselves, the goods being entirely of our own growth and manufacture.

refinement?/r?'fa?nm(?)nt/ ?n. 細(xì)微的改良；優(yōu)雅或高貴的動作、舉止等

其三，國庫充盈，資金內(nèi)流。自兩歲起，每個兒童每年花銷至少十先令，十萬兒童的養(yǎng)育經(jīng)費每年可為國庫凈增五萬鎊。同時，品味高雅的上流人士既能擁有安全可靠的新佳肴，又能保障金錢只在我國內(nèi)部流通。

Fourthly, the constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum by the sale of their children, will be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year.

其四，人民增收，生活美好。窮苦大眾不斷生育、售賣兒童，既能保障每年八先令的收入，育兒第一年后亦可免去相關(guān)的撫養(yǎng)費用。

Fifthly, this food would likewise bring great custom to taverns, where the vintners will certainly be so prudent as to procure the best receipts for dressing it to perfection; and consequently have their houses frequented by all the fine gentlemen, who justly value themselves upon their knowledge in good eating; and a skilful cook, who understands how to oblige his guests, will contrive to make it as expensive as they please.

其五，酒館厚利，商貿(mào)繁榮。這食物將促使酒家精心烹制以攬客，店內(nèi)亦將匯聚眾多“博吃強飲”的富貴豪紳；主廚心思細(xì)膩，廚藝高超，菜肴必物有所值。

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 encrease the care and tenderness of mothers towards their 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 of expence. We should soon 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 is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.

其六，婚姻幸福，家庭和諧。明智國家或以嘉獎鼓勵婚姻發(fā)生，或以戒律強制婚姻執(zhí)行。若施拙見，則母親其子，夫愛其妻。幼兒有公家資助，年年創(chuàng)收；已婚婦女誠實競價，拍賣所養(yǎng)最肥嘟嘟的孩子；丈夫?qū)υ衅揸P(guān)愛有加，視若珍寶，不言毆打踢踹（時下流行）以保障順利生產(chǎn)。

Many other advantages might be enumerated. For instance, the addition of some thousand carcasses in our exportation of barreled 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 publick entertainment. But this, and many others, I omit, being studious of brevity.

enumerate /?'nju?m?re?t/ ?vt. 列舉，枚舉；數(shù)

propagation?/?pr?p?'ɡe???n/ ?n. 繁殖；增殖；宣傳；波及；遺傳

益處眾多，不勝枚舉。例如，桶裝牛肉的出口量將攀升；豬肉的產(chǎn)量將增加，培根制作工藝將提高（現(xiàn)下，我們過于頻繁吃豬肉以至豬肉短缺）。自然，這些無法媲美肥美多汁、發(fā)育良好的一歲孩童。一道烤乳孩足以在達官顯貴，或者公共娛樂的宴會上大放異彩。奈何篇幅所致，只得扼要簡寫。

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 at 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.

假定城里有一千戶人家經(jīng)常光顧嬰兒肉鋪，其他人僅逢遇喜事，尤其是婚禮與洗禮時才會購買，那么都柏林每年將消耗兩萬具嬰兒肉體，王國的其他地方（可能相對便宜些）將消耗剩下的8萬具肉體。

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 I freely own, and was indeed one principal design in offering it to the world. I desire the reader will observe, that I calculate my remedy?for this one individual 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: Of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound: Of using neither clothes, nor houshold furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: Of utterly rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: Of curing the expensiveness of pride, vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: Of learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from Laplanders, and the inhabitants of Topinamboo: Of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one another at the very moment their city was taken: Of being a little cautious not to sell our country and consciences for nothing: Of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants. Lastly, of putting a spirit of honesty, industry, and skill?into our shopkeepers, who, if a resolution could now be taken to buy only our native goods, would immediately unite to cheat and exact upon us in the price, the measure, and the goodness, nor could ever yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though often and earnestly invited to it.

remedy /'rem?d?/ ?n. 藥品, 治療法；補救辦法, 糾正辦法

除卻王國人口銳減的可能性，愚以為拙見完美無缺，而這卻是建議提出的初衷。期盼各位明白，拙見僅針對愛爾蘭獨立王國，不適用于其他曾經(jīng)、現(xiàn)在及未來的國家。因此，莫論其他權(quán)宜之策，如：向外出者征收五先令的稅；不使用國產(chǎn)以外的衣物家具；杜絕助長國外奢靡風(fēng)氣的材料樂器；改變女性驕傲虛榮、慵懶豪賭的現(xiàn)狀；推廣節(jié)儉節(jié)欲的行為習(xí)慣；推崇愛國精神（這一點連拉普蘭德斯人和托皮南布人都比我們強）；放下糾紛、停止內(nèi)斗，莫如猶太人一般，危亡之時仍自相殘殺；小心謹(jǐn)慎，以防白白賣國、違背良知；告誡地主慈悲待農(nóng)……最后，向店主們宣揚誠信、勤勞的精神以及精湛的本領(lǐng)，因為若即刻下令只得購買本國產(chǎn)品，他們會迅速聯(lián)合，粗糙濫制、缺斤少兩、哄抬物價。盡管誠意滿滿，懇求公平交易，他們也必不會接受。

Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, till he hath at least some glimpse of hope, that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice.

故愚復(fù)議，若無一線希望——有人真心誠意實踐嘗試——莫論權(quán)宜之策。

But, as to myself, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal, which, as it is wholly new, so it hath something solid and real, of no expence and little trouble, full in our own power, and whereby we can incur no danger in disobliging England. For this kind of commodity will not bear exportation, and flesh being of too tender a consistence, to admit a long continuance in salt, although perhaps I could name a country, which would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it.

于我而言，多年來，勞而無功、空而無物。自視遠(yuǎn)見，恰似空中樓閣、黃粱一夢；夢醒時分，不過形如槁木、心若死灰。如今，愚幸得靈光一現(xiàn)，謹(jǐn)提新議。拙見簡單易行且行之有效，全權(quán)可掌，不致惹怒英國當(dāng)局，引火上身。畢竟商品肉質(zhì)過嫩不宜長期鹽腌，不便出口。不過，興許某個國家無需加鹽亦可吃光我們整個民族。

After all, I am not so violently bent upon my own opinion, as to reject any offer, proposed by wise men, which shall be found equally innocent, cheap, easy, and effectual. But before something of that kind shall be advanced in contradiction to my scheme, and offering a better, I desire the author or authors will be pleased maturely to consider two points. First, As things now stand, how they will be able to find food and raiment for a hundred thousand useless mouths and backs. And secondly, there being a round million of creatures in humane figure throughout this kingdom, whose whole subsistence put into a common stock, would leave them in debt two million of pounds sterling, adding those who are beggars by profession, to the bulk of farmers, cottagers and labourers, with their wives and children, who are beggars in effect; I desire those politicians who dislike my overture, and may perhaps be so bold to attempt an answer, that they will first ask the parents of these mortals, whether they would not at this day think it a great happiness to have been sold for food at a year old, in the manner I prescribe, and thereby have avoided such a perpetual scene of misfortunes, as they have since gone through, by the oppression of landlords, the impossibility of paying rent without money or trade, the want of common sustenance, with neither house nor clothes to cover them from the inclemencies of the weather, and the most inevitable prospect of intailing the like, or greater miseries, upon their breed for ever.

愚亦非固執(zhí)愚見。智者山人，若有錦囊妙計，能簡便可行地解決問題，自當(dāng)暢所欲言。但那種成效更好的方案提出之前，愚希望獻策者能夠充分思考兩點。第一，如今慘況，十萬無用之人的衣食住行如何解決？第二，加上職業(yè)乞丐同實際上也卑微乞食的底層勞動者，整個王國一百萬人口，兩百萬鎊的生活費用誰來付款？愚由衷期盼，那些厭惡拙見，勇于嘗試突破困局的政治家們，先行詢問這些人的父母：現(xiàn)在是否認(rèn)為孩子一周歲時當(dāng)食物賣掉是一件大美事？若是如此，地主壓迫，債臺壘筑，食物匱乏，夏無屋舍、冬無復(fù)衣，前景渺茫，禍延子嗣……凡此種種，苦痛長久，又何須承受？

I profess in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavouring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the public good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. I have no children, by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing.

愚謹(jǐn)恭謙呈議，絕無私心。愚膝下無孩童可售，幼子早已九歲，拙荊已過育兒年華，此議于己分文不得，所思所想，莫不過推動商貿(mào)發(fā)展，提供嬰兒服務(wù)，減輕百姓負(fù)擔(dān)，增加富人樂趣，僅此而已。