Thomas Paine: “Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world…”

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.

Nothing can be more terrible to a Court or Courtier than the Revolution of France.

The more it is struck the more sparks it will emit; and the fear is it will not be struck enough.

Many of the facts were in themselves principles; such as the declaration of American Independence, and the treaty of alliance between France and America, which recognised the natural rights of man, and justified resistance to oppression.