Read the excerpt from "a modest proposal.” then as to the females, it would, i think, with humble submission, be a loss to the publick, because they soon would become breeders themselves: and besides, it is not improbable that some scrupulous people might be apt to censure such a practice, (although indeed very unjustly) as a little bordering upon cruelty, which, i confess, hath always been with me the strongest objection against any project, how well soever intended. which phrase from the excerpt is an example of verbal irony? a loss to the publick some scrupulous people indeed very unjustly strongest objection against

indeed very unjustly.

In this excerpt, Swift uses verbal irony extensively. This is because "A Modest Proposal" is a satire. In it, Swift proposes solving the economic problems of Ireland by selling poor children to be eaten by rich people. In these lines, Swift discusses the idea of women becoming "breeders" of these children in order to sell them. Although the notion is horrific, Swift says that it is "indeed very unjust" to call it so. This is an example of verbal irony because the author's words express the opposite of what he really means.

the answer is both an appeal to ethos and logos (if that's what your question options were)