← A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick

A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick — Page 4

English → It Full Text Level 9/10

For we can neither employ them in handicraft or agriculture; they neither build houses, (I mean in the country) nor cultivate land: they can very seldom pick up a livelihood by stealing till they arrive at six years old; except where they are of towardly parts, although I confess they learn the rudiments much earlier; during which time they can however be properly looked upon only as probationers; as I have been informed by a principal gentleman in the county of Cavan, who protested to me, that he never knew above one or two instances under the age of six, even in a part of the kingdom so renowned for the quickest proficiency in that art.

Poiché non possiamo impiegarli né nell'artigianato né nell'agricoltura; non costruiscono case (intendo in campagna) né coltivano la terra: raramente riescono a guadagnarsi da vivere rubando prima di aver compiuto sei anni; tranne nel caso in cui siano di indole particolarmente promettente, sebbene debba ammettere che imparano i rudimenti molto prima; durante tale periodo possono tuttavia essere considerati propriamente solo come apprendisti; come mi è stato riferito da un illustre gentiluomo della contea di Cavan, il quale mi ha assicurato di non aver mai conosciuto più di uno o due casi al di sotto dei sei anni, persino in una parte del regno così rinomata per la più rapida abilità in quell'arte.

I am assured by our merchants, that a boy or a girl, before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity, and even when they come to this age, they will not yield above three pounds, or three pounds and half a crown at most, on the exchange; which cannot turn to account either to the parents or kingdom, the charge of nutriments and rags having been at least four times that value.

I nostri mercanti mi assicurano che un ragazzo o una ragazza, prima dei dodici anni, non costituisce una merce vendibile, e anche quando raggiungono questa età, non renderanno più di tre sterline, o al massimo tre sterline e mezza corona sul mercato; il che non può risultare vantaggioso né per i genitori né per il regno, poiché le spese di nutrimento e di stracci sono state almeno quattro volte tale valore.

I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.

Proporrò ora quindi umilmente i miei pensieri, che spero non saranno soggetti alla minima obiezione.

Vocabulary

Poiché: Because; since; for the reason that.
non: Not; negation particle in Italian.
possiamo: We can; first person plural present of potere.
impiegarli: Employ them; use them for a purpose.
né: Neither; nor; used in negative constructions.
artigianato: Craftsmanship; traditional skilled trades and handicrafts.
agricoltura: Agriculture; farming and cultivation of land.
costruiscono: They build; third person plural present of costruire.
case: Houses; plural of casa.
intendo: I intend; I mean; first person singular of intendere.
in: In; preposition indicating location or condition.
campagna: Countryside; rural area outside cities and towns.
coltivano: They cultivate; third person plural present of coltivare.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
terra: Land; earth; soil or ground.
raramente: Rarely; seldom; infrequently or not often.
riescono: They manage; they succeed; third person plural of riuscire.
guadagnarsi: Earn; gain money or livelihood for oneself.
da: From; by; preposition with various meanings.
vivere: To live; to exist or make a living.
rubando: Stealing; present participle of rubare.
prima: Before; prior to; earlier in time.
di: Of; preposition showing possession or relationship.
aver: To have; infinitive form of avere.
compiuto: Completed; accomplished; past participle of compiere.
sei: Six; the number 6.
anni: Years; plural of anno.
tranne: Except; excluding; apart from or unless.
caso: Case; situation; instance or circumstance.
cui: Which; whom; relative pronoun.
siano: Are; third person plural subjunctive of essere.
indole: Nature; character; disposition or temperament.
particolarmente: Particularly; especially; in a special manner.
promettente: Promising; showing signs of future success.
sebbene: Although; though; even if or despite.
debba: Must; should; first person singular subjunctive of dovere.
ammettere: Admit; acknowledge; confess or allow.
che: That; which; relative pronoun or conjunction.
imparano: They learn; third person plural present of imparare.
rudimenti: Rudiments; basics; fundamentals or elementary principles.
molto: Much; very; a large amount or degree.
durante: During; throughout; in the course of time.
tale: Such; of that kind; that kind of.
periodo: Period; time span; interval or duration.
possono: They can; third person plural present of potere.
tuttavia: However; nevertheless; yet or still.
essere: To be; fundamental verb in Italian.
considerati: Considered; regarded; past participle of considerare.
propriamente: Properly; strictly; in a proper manner.
solo: Only; alone; solely or exclusively.
come: As; like; in the capacity of.
apprendisti: Apprentices; learners; trainees in a trade.
mi: Me; to me; indirect object pronoun.
stato: Been; past participle of essere.
riferito: Reported; told; communicated or related.
illustre: Illustrious; distinguished; famous or renowned.
gentiluomo: Gentleman; a man of noble birth.
contea: County; administrative division ruled by earl.
il: The; masculine singular definite article.
quale: Which; who; relative pronoun.
ha: Has; third person singular present of avere.
assicurato: Assured; guaranteed; confirmed or made certain.
mai: Never; not ever; at any time.
conosciuto: Known; acquainted with; past participle of conoscere.
più: More; additional; greater in quantity.
uno: One; the number 1; a or an.
due: Two; the number 2.
casi: Cases; instances; plural of caso.
sotto: Under; below; beneath or underneath.
persino: Even; including; even so or likewise.
una: A; an; feminine singular indefinite article.
parte: Part; portion; section or component.

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