"has many good things to give away, and I "should be glad of some of them.”

This same Mr. Burke, in one of his speeches in the House of Commons, said, "kings were naturally fond of low company," and "that many of the nobility act the part of flatterers, parasites, pimps, and buffoons," &c.: but his character will be best appreciated, by reading Mr. Paine's Letter to the Addressers.

In 1786 he published in Philadelphia 'Dissertation on Government, the Affairs of the Bank, and Paper Money,' an octavo pamphlet of sixty-four pages. The bank alluded to is the bank of North America, of which he thus speaks:

"In the year 1780, when the British army having laid waste the southern states, closed "its ravages by the capture of Charlston, when "the financial sources of congress were dried

up, when the public treasury was empty, and "the army of independence paralysed by want, a voluntary subscription for its relief was "raised in Philadelphia. This voluntary fund,

G

amounting to three hundred thousand pounds, "afterwards converted into a bank by the

subscribers, headed by Robert Norris, sup

plied the wants of the army; probably the "aids which it furnished enabled Washington "to carry into execution his well-concerted

plan against Cornwallis. Congress in the

year 1781 incorporated the subscribers to the fund, under the title of the Bank of North "America. In the following year it was fur"ther incorporated by an act of the Pennsylvanian assembly."

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Mr. Paine liberally subscribed five hundred dollars to this fund.

After the establishment of the independence of America, of the vigorous and successful exertions to attain which glorious object he had been the animating principle, soul, and support; feeling his exertions no longer requisite in that country, he embarked for France, and arrived at Paris early in 1787, carrying with him his fame as a literary man, an acute philosopher, and most profound politician.

At this time he presented to the Academy of Sciences the model of a bridge which he invented, the principle of which has been since so highly celebrated and approved.

From Paris he arrived in England the 3d of September, just thirteen years after his departure for Philadelphia. Prompted by that filial affection which his conduct had ever manifested he hastened to Thetford to visit his mother, on whom he settled an allowance of nine shillings a week. Of this comfortable solace she was afterwards deprived by the bankruptcy of the merchant in whom the trust was vested.

Mr. Paine resided at Rotherham in Yorkshire during part of the year 1788, where an iron bridge upon the principle alluded to was cast and erected, and obtained for him among the mathematicians of Europe a high reputation. In the erection of this, a considerable sum had been expended, for which he was hastily arrested by the assignees of an American merchant, and thrown into confinement.

From this however, and the debt, he cleared himself in about three weeks.*

The

The publication of 'Mr. Burke's Reflections on the French Revolution' produced in reply from Mr. Paine his great, universally known, and celebrated work 'Rights of Man.' first part of this work was written partly at the Angel at Islington, partly in Harding Street, Fetter Lane, and finished at Versailles. In February 1791 this book made its appearance in London, and many hundred thousand copies were rapidly sold.

In May following he went again to France, and was at Paris at the time of the flight of the king, and also on his return. On this memorable occasion he made this observation: "You see the absurdity of your system of

government; here will be a whole nation "disturbed by the folly of one man." Upon this subject also he made the following reply to the Marquis la Fayette who came into his

* More or less upon this plan of Mr. Paine's, the different iron bridges in Europe have been constructed.

bed-room before he was up, saying, "The birds KC are flown." "Tis well: I hope there will "be no attempt to recall them."

On the 13th of July he returned to London, but did not attend the celebration of the anniversary of the French revolution the following day, as has been falsely asserted.

On the 20th of August he drew up the address and declaration of the gentlemen who met at the Thatched House Tavern. This address is so replete with wisdom and moderation that it is here subjoined.

"Address and Declaration* of the Friends of

Universal Peace and Liberty, held at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's Street, Aug. 20, 1791, by Thomas Paine, Author of the Works entitled 'Common Sense' and 'Rights of Man.'

"Friends and Fellow Citizens,

"At a moment like the present,

when wilful misrepresentations are industri

a

* Vide Appendix to Ild part of 'Rights of Man.'