Thomas Paine Collection: Common Sense, Rights of Man, Age of Reason, An Essay on Dream, Biblical Blasphemy, Examination Of The Prophecies (Forgotten Books) [Paperback]

Book Description:

"Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was first published anonymously on January 9, 1776, during the American Revolution. Paine wrote it with editorial feedback from Benjamin Rush, who came up with the title. The document denounced British rule and, through its immense popularity, contributed to fomenting the American Revolution... Paine donated the copyright for Common Sense to the states, and as one biographer noted, Paine made nothing of the estimated 150,000 to 600,000 copies that were eventually printed (various sources disagree on the number of printed copies in Paine's lifetime). In fact, he had to pay for the first printing himself." (Source: wikipedia.org)

"Rights of Man was written by Thomas Paine in 1791 as a reply to Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke. It has been interpreted as a work defending the French Revolution, but it is also a seminal work embodying the ideas of liberty and human equality." (Source: wikipedia.org)

"The Age of Reason: Being an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology... critiques institutionalized religion and challenges the inerrancy of the Bible. Published in three parts in 1794, 1795 and 1807, it was a bestseller in America, where it caused a short-lived deistic revival. British audiences, however, fearing increased political radicalism as a result of the French revolution, received it with more hostility." (Source: wikipedia.org)

Essay on Dream was first published in 1807. Mr. Paine attempts to show by what operation of the mind a Dream is produced in sleep, and applying the same to the account of Dreams in the New Testament.

Biblical Blasphemy is a short work summarizing Mr. Paine's Deistic beliefs.

Examination of the Prophecies was first published by Mr. Paine in 1807, and was the last of his writings edited by himself. It is evidently extracted from his answer to the bishop of Llandaff, or from his third part of the Age of Reason, both of which, it appears by his will, he left in manuscript.

Table of Contents:

Publisher’s Preface; Common Sense; Introduction; Of The Origin And Design Of Government In General, With Concise Remarks On The English Constitution; Of Monarchy And Hereditary Succession; Thoughts On The Present State Of American Affairs; Of The Present Ability Of America, With Some Miscellaneous Reflexions; Appendix; Rights Of Man; Part I.; Editor's Introduction.; Paine's Preface To The English Edition; Paine's Preface To The French Edition; Rights Of Man; Miscellaneous Chapter; Conclusion; Part ii. Second, Combining Principle And Practice.; French Translator's Preface.; Preface; Introduction.; Of Society And Civilisation; Of The Origin Of The Present Old Governments; Of The Old And New Systems Of Government; Of Constitutions; Ways And Means Of Improving The Condition Of Europe Interspersed With Miscellaneous Observations; Appendix; The Age Of Reason; Editor's Introduction With Some Results Of Recent Researches.; Part I.; The Author's Profession Of Faith.; Of Missions And Revelations.; Concerning The Character Of Jesus Christ, And His History.; Of The Bases Of Christianity.; Examination In Detail Of The Preceding Bases.; Of The True Theology.; Examination Of The Old Testament.; Of The New Testament.; In What The True Revelation Consists.; Concerning God, And The Lights Cast On His Existence And Attributes By The Bible.; Of The Theology Of The Christians; And The True Theology.; The Effects Of Christianism On Education; Proposed Reforms.; Comparison Of Christianism With The Religious Ideas Inspired By Nature.; System Of The Universe.; Advantages Of The Existence Of Many Worlds In Each Solar System.; Application Of The Preceding To The System Of The Christians.; Of The Means Employed In All Time, And Almost Universally, To Deceive The Peoples.; Recapitulation.; Part ii.; Preface; The Old Testament; The New Testame

About the Author:

"Thomas Paine... was a pamphleteer, revolutionary, radical, liberal and intellectual. Born in Great Britain, he lived in America, having migrated to the American colonies just in time to take part in the American Revolution, mainly as the author of the powerful, widely read pamphlet, Common Sense (1776), advocating independence for the American Colonies from the Kingdom of Great Britain and of The American Crisis, supporting the Revolution.

Later, Paine was a great influence on the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791) as a guide to the ideas of the Enlightenment. Despite an inability to speak French, he was elected to the French National Assembly in 1792. Regarded as an ally of the Girondists, he was seen with increasing disfavour by the Montagnards and in particular by Robespierre.

Paine was arrested in Paris and imprisoned in December 1793; he was released in 1794. He became notorious with his book, The Age of Reason (1793-94), which advocated deism and took issue with Christian doctrines. While in France, he also wrote a pamphlet titled Agrarian Justice (1795), which discussed the origins of property and introduced a concept that is similar to a guaranteed minimum income.

Paine remained in France during the early Napoleonic Era, but condemned Napoleon's moves towards dictatorship, calling him "the completest charlatan that ever existed."[1] Paine remained in France until 1802, when he returned to America on an invitation from Thomas Jefferson, who had been elected president.

Paine died at 59 Grove Street in Greenwich Village, New York City, on the morning of June 8, 1809." (Quote from wikipedia.org)