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Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, [1776], at sacred-texts.comTHE WRITINGSOFTHOMAS PAINECOLLECTED AND EDITED BYMONCURE DANIEL CONWAYVOLUME I.1774-1779Produced by Norman M. Wolcott.[Reprinted from the "The Writings of Thomas PaineVolume I" (1894-1896). The author's notes are precededby a "*".]XV. Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, [1776], at sacred-texts.com Table of Contents INTRODUCTION

I.OF THE ORIGIN AND DESIGN OF GOVERNMENT INGENERAL, WITH CONCISE REMARKS ON THE ENGLISHCONSTITUTION II.OF MONARCHY AND HEREDITARY SUCCESSION III.THOUGHTS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF AMERICANAFFAIRS IV.OF THE PRESENT ABILITY OF AMERICA, WITH SOMEMISCELLANEOUS REFLEXIONS Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, [1776], at sacred-texts.com INTRODUCTIONPERHAPS the sentiments contained in the followingpages, are not YET sufficiently fashionable to procurethem general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing

WRONG, gives it a superficial appearance of beingRIGHT, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defenceof custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makesmore converts than reason.As a long and violent abuse of power, is generally theMeans of calling the right of it in question (and inMatters too which might never have been thought of, hadnot the Sufferers been aggravated into the inquiry) andas the King of England hath undertaken in his OWNRIGHT, to support the Parliament in what he callsTHEIRS, and as the good people of this country aregrievously oppressed by the combination, they have anundoubted privilege to inquire into the pretensions ofboth, and equally to reject the usurpations of either.In the following sheets, the author hath studiouslyavoided every thing which is personal among ourselves.Compliments as well as censure to individuals make nopart thereof. The wise, and the worthy, need not thetriumph of a pamphlet; and those whose sentiments areinjudicious, or unfriendly, will cease of themselvesunless too much pains are bestowed upon theirconversion.The cause of America is in a great measure the causeof all mankind. Many circumstances have, and will arise,which are not local, but universal, and through which theprinciples of all Lovers of Mankind are affected, and inthe Event of which, their Affections are interested. Thelaying of a Country desolate with Fire and Sword,declaring War against the natural rights of all Mankind,and extirpating the Defenders thereof from the Face ofthe Earth, is the Concern of every Man to whom Naturehath given the Power of feeling; of which Class,regardless of Party Censure, is THE AUTHOR