Thomas Paine: “The Revolutions of America and France have thrown a beam of light over the world, which reaches into man.”

He pities the plumage, but forgets the dying bird.

Man cannot, properly speaking, make circumstances for his purpose, but he always has it in his power to improve them when they occur, and this was the case in France.

The argument changes from hereditary rights to hereditary wisdom; and the question is, Who is the wisest man?

It was become evident, that no constitution, worthy of being called by that name, could be established on anything less than a national ground.