The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 1. (of 2): With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England; to which is added a Sketch of Paine by William CobbettConway, Moncure Daniel
Religion
The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 1. (of 2): With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England; to which is added a Sketch of Paine by William Cobbett
Conway, Moncure Daniel
Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809
"The Honourable plunderer of his country, or the Right Honourable
murderer of mankind, create such a contrast of ideas as exhibit a
monster rather than a man. The lustre of the Star, and the title of My
Lord, overawe the superstitious vulgar, and forbid them to enquire
into the character of the possessor: Nay more, they are, as it were,
bewitched to admire in the great the vices they would honestly condemn
in themselves.... The reasonable freeman sees through the magic of a
title, and examines the man before he approves him. To him the honours
of the worthless seem to write their masters' vices in capitals, and
their Stars shine to no other end than to read them by. Modesty forbids
men separately, or collectively, to assume titles. But as all honours,
even that of kings, originated from the public, the public may justly be
called the true fountain of honour. And it is with much pleasure I
have heard the title 'Honourable' applied to a body of men, who nobly
disregarding private ease and interest for public welfare, have justly
merited the address of _The Honourable Continental Congress_."
He publishes (May, 1775), and I think wrote, a poetical protest against
cruelty to animals, to whose rights Christendom was then not awakened.
His pen is unmistakable in "Reflections on Unhappy Marriages" (June,
1775): "As extasy abates coolness succeeds, which often makes way for
indifference, and that for neglect. Sure of each other by the nuptial
bond, they no longer take any pains to be mutually agreeable. Careless
if they displease, and yet angry if reproached; with so little relish
for each other's company that anybody else's is more welcome, and more
entertaining." It is a more pointed statement of the problem already
suggested, in the April magazine, by his well-known fable "Cupid and
Hymen," whose controversies are now settled in the Divorce Court.
In his August (1775) number is found the earliest American plea for
woman. It is entitled "An Occasional Letter on the Female Sex,"
and unsigned, but certainly by Paine. His trick of introducing a
supposititious address from another person, as in the following extract,
appears in many examples.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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