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DOVER THRIFT EDITIONS

GENERAL EDITOR: STANLEY APPELBAUM

EDITOR OF THIS VOLUME: CANDACE WARD

Bibliographical Note

This Dover edition, first published in 1996, is a new selection of five works by Jonathan Swift, reprinted from The Works of Jonathan Swift in two volumes, edited by Thomas Roscoe (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1851). A new introductory Note and explanatory footnotes have been specially prepared for this edition.

Copyright Page

Copyright

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745.
A modest proposal and other satirical works / Jonathan Swift.
p. cm.—(Dover thrift editions)
Contents: The battle of the books (1697)—A meditation upon a broomstick (1701)—
A discourse concerning the mechanical operation of the spirit (1704)—An argument
against abolishing Christianity in England (1708)—A modest proposal (1729).

9780486110752

1. Ireland—Politics and government—18th century—Humor. 2. Religious satire,
English. 3. Political satire, English. 1. Title. II. Series
PR3722 1996
828’.509—dc20 95-51096
CIP

Note

JONATHAN SWIFT (1667-1745) was born in Ireland. His father died before he was born, and he, his sister and mother relied upon the generosity of relatives for their maintenance. Swift was educated at the best schools in Ireland, first Kilkenny School, and later Trinity College in Dublin. Like many of his Anglo-Irish contemporaries, he took refuge in England after the Revolution of 1688.

Around this time Swift joined the household of Sir William Temple, acting in a secretarial capacity. Swift’s association with Temple (whom he defended in “The Battle of the Books”) continued until Temple’s sudden death in 1699. While employed by Temple, Swift began writing verse. His poetry, however, never achieved the acclaim of his prose. Swift’s earliest satirical work, A Tale of a Tub, composed sometime between 1696 and 1699, was published anonymously in 1704, along with “The Battle of the Books” and “A Discourse Concerning the Mechanical Operation of the Spirit.” Despite its anonymous publication, these three works were recognized as Swift’s and he soon earned the reputation of a wit and keen political satirist.