Five 1792 Selections from “Common Sense”

5b Thomas Paine. London: Symonds, 1792. Early Edition.

Including Common Sense (Early issue 1792), A Letter Addressed to the Abbey Raynal, On the Affairs of North America (Early issue 1792 with printing error on title page), Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke’s Attack on the French Revolution (Early issue 1792), Rights of Man: Part the Second, Combining Principle and Practice (Early issue 1792), Miscellaneous Articles by Thomas Paine (First Edition 1792), and Letter Addressed to the Addressers of the Late Proclamation (First edition 1792).

Notes

Thomas Paine was an influential political thinker, writer, and revolutionary born in England in 1737. He moved to the American colonies in 1774, just as tensions between Britain and the colonies were rising. Paine quickly became a powerful voice for independence, using plain language and sharp reasoning to appeal to everyday people rather than elites. His writings helped shape the democratic ideals of both the American and French Revolutions, and he remains a foundational figure in the history of political philosophy and civil rights.

His most famous work, Common Sense, was published in January 1776 and became an instant sensation. In it, Paine made a passionate case for American independence from Britain, arguing that it was absurd for a continent to be ruled by a distant island and that monarchy was inherently corrupt. He wrote in clear, straightforward prose that ordinary colonists could understand, helping to rally public support for the Revolutionary cause. Common Sense sold over 100,000 copies within months—an enormous number for the time—and played a critical role in turning colonial opinion toward the idea of full independence from British rule.

Description

Marbled boards with leather spine. Five raised bands with brown leather label in the second compartment. Rebound. General foxing throughout. Toning and wear to text at edges and corners. Lengthy pencil to first page. Fine condition overall.