The phrase "a modest present" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a gift that is not extravagant or overly expensive, often given for a special occasion or as a gesture of appreciation.
Example: "For her birthday, I decided to give her a modest present, something thoughtful but not too lavish."
Alternatives: "a simple gift" or "a humble offering".
Professor Chadbourn and his associates do not assume the role of reformers, for their more modest present objective is a book of exposition for the local bench and bar.
It also allows producers to turn a modest profit presenting serious work by major playwrights and helps dispel the notion that Broadway is becoming a theme park for mega-musicals aimed at the tourist crowd.
On Christmas Eve 1941, most people would have been gathering together with their families, wrapping (modest) presents or attending church services.
The gift exchange was closely watched, the Wall Street Journal reports, "ever since the British press took high exception to the modest presents the Obamas gave Gordon Brown and wife on their visit to the White House last month: a box set of DVDs, allegedly in the wrong format, and a couple of models of Marine One for the Brown boys".
For most of the ensuing century and a half, the phrase maintained a modest profile, always present but far from omnipresent; you might say it just burbled along.
A modest John Krikorian was present at the reception but stayed behind the scenes.
A modest NI was present in all non-stented and stented allografts segments as well as stented native carotid arteries (Figure 2A & B).
On this reasoning, the way to power is to "shrink the offer" and present a modest prospectus to the country.
On one extreme side there are concepts requiring only a modest extrapolation of the present technology, but with limited attractiveness.
We hereby present a modest proposal to cut the budget deficit without having to either raise taxes or slash any government programs.
