Read two biographies of Thomas Paine, (1) ' Rebel ' by Samuel Edwards, (2) ' Thomas Paine---Apostle of Freedom ' by Jack Fruchtman,Jr.
Thomas Paine ( 1737-1809 ) is one of my heroes. I have read his booklets, ' The American Crisis', ' Commonsense ', ' The Rights of Man ', ' The Age of Reason ' , etc several times.
His contribution to the American Revolution was enormous, and his vindication of the French Revolution in his response to Edmund Burke superlative.
Yet by the time he died his services to the cause of freedom and human rights had been forgotten, he was maligned on every side, his character blackened, and he was execrated, shunned and abhorred by almost everyone. Only 6 persons attended his funeral
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