On the Irish Club by Jonathan Swift. Short summary

5 seconds

Unfinished pamphlet. The author urges Irish clerics and officials to respond appropriately to criticism rather than compound their sins with revenge.

1 minute

An unfinished poetic pamphlet addressed to the «Irish club» — wealthy officials, parliamentarians and clergy.

The petty nobles, fed by the treasury, elect whoever pays them once. They grovel for a handout, hurry to London to bow, betray their country… But when they see the verse scourging them, these people cry out for their trampled dignity.

So do the clergy. They read «popes,» but understand «w…» The clerics hire the street plebs to break the windows of the pamphlet author’s house.

Swift gives them advice on how to avoid his arrows of satire. One simply must not sin. The main thing is not to sell your homeland.