A Modest Proposal
A Modest Proposal is Jonathan Swift's satirical essay, first printed as a small octavo pamphlet by Sarah Harding in Dublin at the end of October 1729. In a deadpan voice it urges that the children of the Irish poor be sold as food for the rich, mocking schemes that treated the poor as commodities.
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First edition
- Sarah Harding, 1729
- First published
- Sarah Harding, Dublin, 1729
The first edition of A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift was published in Dublin, Ireland by Sarah Harding in 1729. We track 1 edition.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Sarah Harding1729 Hardback I own A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents, or the Country, and for Making Then Beneficial to the Publick, Sarah Harding 1729 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Kingdom of Ireland
- Genre
- polemical lampoon, essay
In print
- Editions recorded
- 36 on Open Library, 30 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 24 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of A Modest Proposal?
The first edition of A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift was published in Dublin, Ireland by Sarah Harding in 1729.
How many editions of A Modest Proposal are there?
We track 1 edition of A Modest Proposal, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Can I read A Modest Proposal for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- A Modest Proposal, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- An Introduction to: A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift Archive (jonathanswiftarchive.org.uk)
- A Modest Proposal (Q264143), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 22 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.