Alas! are those people who call themselves Englishmen, of so little internal consequence, that when America is gone, or shuts her eyes upon them, their sun is set, they can shine no more, but grope about in obscurity, and contract into insignificant animals?
Paine rhetorically questions the self-worth of Englishmen if their national identity and significance are entirely dependent on America.
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He must now show that every one in the line of hereditary succession was a Solomon, or his title is not good to be a king.
In fine, society performs for itself almost everything which is ascribed to government.
The American constitutions were to liberty what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of speech, and practically construct them into syntax.
The Aristocracy had hitherto opposed the despotism of the Court, and affected the language of patriotism; but it opposed it as its rival (as the English Barons opposed King John) and it now opposed the nation from the same motives.