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
* "Life and Gospel Labors of Stephen Grellet." This
"valuable young Friend," as Stephen Grellet calls her, had
married a Quaker named Hinsdale. Grellet, a native of
France, convert from Voltaire, led the anti-Hicksites, and
was led by his partisanship to declare that Elias promised
him to suppress his opinions! The cant of the time was that
"deism might do to live by but not to die by." But it had
been announced in Paine's obituaries that "some days
previous to his demise he had an interview with some Quaker
gentlemen on the subject [of burial in their graveyard] but
as he declined a renunciation of his deistical opinions his
anxious wishes were not complied with." But ten years later,
when Hicks's deism was spreading, death-bed terrors seemed
desirable, and Mary (Roscoe) Hinsdale, formerly Grellet's
servant also, came forward to testify that the recantation
refused by Paine to the "Quaker gentlemen," even for a much
desired end, had been previously confided to her for no
object at all! The story was published by one Charles
Collins, a Quaker, who afterwards admitted to Gilbert Vale
his doubts of its truth, adding "some of our friends believe
she indulges in opiates." (Vale, p. 186).
But in the end it was that same Mary that hastened the resurrection
of Thomas Paine. The controversy as to whether Mary was or was not a
calumniator; whether orthodoxy was so irresistible that Paine must needs
surrender at last to a servant-girl who told him she had thrown his book
into the fire; whether she was to be believed against her employer, who
declared she never saw Paine at all; all this kept Paine alive.
Such boiling up from the abysses, of vulgar credulity, grotesque
superstition, such commanding illustrations of the Age of Unreason,
disgusted thoughtful Christians.*
* The excitement of the time was well illustrated in a
notable caricature by the brilliant artist John Wesley
Jarvis. Paine is seen dead, his pillow "Common Sense," his
hand holding a manuscript, "A rap on the knuckles for John
Mason." On his arm is the label, "Answer to Bishop Watson."
Under him is written: "A man who devoted his whole life to
the attainment of two objects--rights of man and freedom of
conscience--had his vote denied when living, and was denied
a grave when dead!" The Catholic Father O'Brian (a
notorious drunkard), with very red nose, kneels over Paine,
exclaiming, "Oh you ugly drunken beast!" The Rev. John
Mason (Presbyterian) stamps on Paine, exclaiming, "Ah, Tom!
Tom! thou 't get thy frying in hell; they 'll roast thee
like a herring.
"They 'll put thee in the furnace hot,
And on thee bar the door:
How the devils all will laugh
To hear thee burst and roar!"
The Rev. Dr. Livingston kicks at Paine's head, exclaiming,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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