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.

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The originality, concentrated power and ""fierce indignation" of his satirical writing have earned Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) a reputation as the greatest prose satirist in English literature. Gulliver"s Travels is, of course, his world-renowned masterpiece in the genre; however, Swift wrote other, shorter works that also offer excellent evidence of his inspired lampoonery. Perhaps the most famous of these is A Modest Proposal, in which he straight- facedly suggests that Ireland could solve its hunger problems by using its children for food. Also included in this collection are The Battle of the Books, A Meditation upon a Broomstick, A Discourse Concerning the Mechanical Operation of the Spirit and An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity in England. This inexpensive edition will certainly be welcomed by teachers and students of English literature, but its appeal extends to any reader who delights in watching a master satirist wield words as weapons.

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)