eating babies, killing old ladies

"Kill her, take her money, dedicate it to serving mankind, to the general welfare...For one life, thousands of lives saved from ruin and collapse" (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment)
Sound familiar? I though so too. Isn't that exactly what Swift's "modest proposal" was? (replace the poor babies with a bitter old lady). As I was reading, I couldn't help but notice the striking similarity. The student in Crime and Punishment who suggested killing the old lady was asked if he would kill her himself. His response: "Of course not! I am for justice..." Swift also claimed he couldn't assist in his own plan either.

Just thought I'd point that out.

PS:
"She said nothing. She only looked at me in silence...Not as it is done here on earth, but there...where they sorrow over people, where they weep, and where they do not reproach, no they do not reproach! Yet it hurts worse, it hurts much worse, when they do not reproach..." (20)

-mr