Her ideas of national honor seem devoid of that benevolence of heart, that universal expansion of philanthropy, and that triumph over the rage of vulgar prejudice, without which man is inferior to himself, and a companion of common animals.
Thomas Paine: “Her ideas of national honor seem devoid of that benevolence of heart, that universal expansion of philanthropy, and that…”
Editor's note · Context
In "The American Crisis," Paine criticizes Great Britain's understanding of national honor as lacking benevolence and philanthropy.
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