This volume collects Thomas Paine's political essays and pamphlets from 1779 to 1792, including his famous work 'Rights of Man.' In it, Paine argues for natural rights, republican government, and the principles of the French Revolution, responding to Edmund Burke. It remains a key text for understanding debates on liberty and democracy.
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Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
THE WRITINGS OF THOMAS PAINE
VOLUME II.
By Thomas Paine
Collected And Edited By Moncure Daniel Conway
1779 - 1792
[Redactor's Note: Reprinted from the "The Writings of
Thomas Paine Volume I" (1894 - 1896). The author's notes are preceded by a "*". A Table of Contents has been added for each part for the convenience of the reader which is not included in the printed edition. Notes are at the end of Part II. ]
RIGHTS OF MAN. XIII. RIGHTS OF MAN. EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION. WHEN Thomas Paine sailed from America for France, in April, 1787, he was perhaps as happy a man as any in the world. His most intimate friend, Jefferson, was Minister at Paris, and his friend Lafayette was the idol of France. His fame had preceded him, and he at once became, in Paris, the centre of the same circle of savants and philosophers that had surrounded Franklin. His main reason for proceeding at once to Paris was that he might submit to the Academy of Sciences his invention of an iron bridge, and with its favorable verdict he came to England, in September. He at once went to his aged mother at
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