The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 2. (of 2): With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and EnglandConway, Moncure Daniel
History
The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 2. (of 2): With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England
Conway, Moncure Daniel
Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809
The President's letter came to a poor man in a small room, furnished
only with manuscripts and models of inventions. Here he was found by
an old friend from England, Henry Redhead Yorke, who, in 1795, had been
tried in England for sedition. Yorke has left us a last glimpse of the
author in "wretched and restless Europe." The "rights of man" had become
so antiquated in Napoleon's France, that Yorke found Paine's name odious
on account of his antislavery writings, the people "ascribing to his
espousal of the rights of the negroes of St. Domingo the resistance
which Leclercq had experienced from them." He found Paine in No. 4
Rue du Théâtre Français. A "jolly-looking woman" (in whom we recognize
Madame Bonneville) scrutinized Yorke severely, but was smiling enough
on learning that he was Paine's old friend. He was ushered into a little
room heaped with boxes of documents, a chaos of pamphlets and journals.
While Yorke was meditating on the contrast between this habitation of a
founder of two great republics and the mansions of their rulers, his old
friend entered, dressed in a long flannel gown.
"Time seemed to have made dreadful ravages over his whole frame, and a
settled melancholy was visible on his countenance. He desired me to be
seated, and although he did not recollect me for a considerable time,
he conversed with his usual affability. I confess I felt extremely
surprised that he should have forgotten me; but I resolved not to make
myself known to him, as long as it could be avoided with propriety. In
order to try his memory, I referred to a number of circumstances which
had occurred while we were in company, but carefully abstained from
hinting that we had ever lived together. He would frequently put his
hand to his forehead, and exclaim, 'Ah! I know that voice, but my
recollection fails!' At length I thought it time to remove his suspense,
and stated an incident which instantly recalled me to his mind. It
is impossible to describe the sudden change which this effected; his
countenance brightened, he pressed me by the hand, and a silent tear
stole down his cheek. Nor was I less affected than himself. For some
time we sat without a word escaping from our lips. 'Thus are we met once
more, Mr. Paine,' I resumed, 'after a long separation of ten years,
and after having been both of us severely weather-beaten.' 'Aye,' he
replied, 'and who would have thought that we should meet in Paris?'
He then enquired what motive had brought me here, and on my explaining
myself, he observed with a smile of contempt, 'They have shed blood
enough for liberty, and now they have it in perfection. This is not a
country for an honest man to live in; they do not understand any thing
at all of the principles of free government, and the best way is to
leave them to themselves. You see they have conquered all Europe, only
to make it more miserable than it was before.' Upon this, I remarked
that I was surprised to hear him speak in such desponding language of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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