Author: Thomas Paine

Publisher:

Published: 2015-07-14

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 9781331365426

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Excerpt from Age of Reason This report of the proceedings on these Mock Trials, will be read with increasing interest as the human mind proceeds to burst the shackles of Priestcraft, and to expand over the boundless volume of Nature. Whatever lack of ability or of education the attempted Defence of the Defendant displays, still these pages are sufficient to shew the deluders and the deluded, that their delusion could not stand the examination he was prepared to make, and that brute force was found to be the only resource of the interested supporters of superstition, against free and fair discussion. Here the historian will find a connecting link to display the mischief and intolerance of all religion, by the sufferings of the various seceders from the religion of power from time to time. Let it be hoped that it will end here. Certain it is, that the delusion of religion is losing its hold, and that hypocrites and tyrants will not much longer make it an instrument of power to rob, or a rod of iron to rule the multitude. It cannot fail of being interesting to the reader to find inserted here a narrative of what occurred from the first publication of the Theological Works of Thomas Paine, down to the commencement of the Mock Trials. In the month of November, 1818, a rumour was afloat in London that the "Age of Reason" was on sale, or about to be published. The Priests were instantly in arms, and terror seemed to forbode that their shops were falling or being knocked down about their ears. Threats were made of the immediate seizure of the edition on its appearance (a circumstance which actually occurred in Pitt's time) but the publisher, was not to be intimidated, he knew too well the ground on which he stood, and how far he could go in the matter. Discussion occured in the public papers as to the propriety or impropriety of suppressing the publication, and it was evident to all that the bigots were silenced. At length the publication was ready on the 16th December, and in the evening of that day the walls of the metropolis were well placarded with the notice of publication. On the morning of the 17th, a messenger came from the Solicitor of the Treasury to enquire the actual publication and the price, but on finding they were sold at half a guinea the copy he retired, not having been furnished with money enough to make his purchase. In a very few minutes he returned for three copies, and was advised by the publisher to take half a dozen. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Download or read book Age of Reason (Classic Reprint) written by Thomas Paine and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-14 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Age of Reason This report of the proceedings on these Mock Trials, will be read with increasing interest as the human mind proceeds to burst the shackles of Priestcraft, and to expand over the boundless volume of Nature. Whatever lack of ability or of education the attempted Defence of the Defendant displays, still these pages are sufficient to shew the deluders and the deluded, that their delusion could not stand the examination he was prepared to make, and that brute force was found to be the only resource of the interested supporters of superstition, against free and fair discussion. Here the historian will find a connecting link to display the mischief and intolerance of all religion, by the sufferings of the various seceders from the religion of power from time to time. Let it be hoped that it will end here. Certain it is, that the delusion of religion is losing its hold, and that hypocrites and tyrants will not much longer make it an instrument of power to rob, or a rod of iron to rule the multitude. It cannot fail of being interesting to the reader to find inserted here a narrative of what occurred from the first publication of the Theological Works of Thomas Paine, down to the commencement of the Mock Trials. In the month of November, 1818, a rumour was afloat in London that the "Age of Reason" was on sale, or about to be published. The Priests were instantly in arms, and terror seemed to forbode that their shops were falling or being knocked down about their ears. Threats were made of the immediate seizure of the edition on its appearance (a circumstance which actually occurred in Pitt's time) but the publisher, was not to be intimidated, he knew too well the ground on which he stood, and how far he could go in the matter. Discussion occured in the public papers as to the propriety or impropriety of suppressing the publication, and it was evident to all that the bigots were silenced. At length the publication was ready on the 16th December, and in the evening of that day the walls of the metropolis were well placarded with the notice of publication. On the morning of the 17th, a messenger came from the Solicitor of the Treasury to enquire the actual publication and the price, but on finding they were sold at half a guinea the copy he retired, not having been furnished with money enough to make his purchase. In a very few minutes he returned for three copies, and was advised by the publisher to take half a dozen. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.