The Writings of Thomas Paine, Complete
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Some scanning errors (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand) · 1 illegible passage, excluded from answers
- Extent:
- ~420,000 words · 1,972 passages
Cite this work
- APAThomas Paine. (n.d.). The Writings of Thomas Paine, Complete. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/thomas-paine/the-writings-of-thomas-paine-complete
- MLAThomas Paine. The Writings of Thomas Paine, Complete. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/thomas-paine/the-writings-of-thomas-paine-complete.
- ChicagoThomas Paine. The Writings of Thomas Paine, Complete. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/thomas-paine/the-writings-of-thomas-paine-complete.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
All of Paine: Common Sense and The Crisis, written inside the American Revolution; Rights of Man, the reply to Burke; and The Age of Reason, the deist attack on revealed religion.
Context and history
Common Sense appeared in January 1776 and sold tens of thousands of copies within weeks, in a country of two and a half million people: few pamphlets have moved so much so fast. The Age of Reason cost him dearly — he was taken for an atheist when he was defending a God without churches — and he died in 1809 with almost no one at his funeral.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
but the good of all, have staked their own all upon a seemingly doubtful event. Yet it is folly to argue against determined hardness; eloquence may strike the ear, and the language of sorrow draw forth the tear of compassion, but nothing can reach the heart that is steeled with prejudice. Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out: I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light.…