"ONLY A REMOTE RESEMBLANCE TO THE FACTS OF PAINE'S LIFE"

(PAINE, Thomas) [COBBETT, William]. Life of Tom Paine. IN: Porcupine's Political Censor, for Sept. 1796. Philadelphia: William Cobbett, Sept. 1796 [i.e., 1797]. Octavo, disbound; pp. [2], [251]-327. $300.

Second edition of the September, 1796 issue of William Cobbett’s barbed political journal, which includes his highly critical "The Life of Tom Paine, interspersed with remarks and reflections." An interesting and vicious contemporary attack on Paine's character.

Cobbett's attack on Thomas Paine "consists largely of excerpts from that of Francis Oldys (George Chalmers). There is only a remote resemblance to the facts of Paine's life as presently accepted" (Gaines). "Like Judas he will be remembered by posterity," Cobbett writes, "men will learn to express all that is base, malignant, treacherous, unnatural and blasphemous, by the single syllable, Paine." Initially published separately as "Porcupine's" monthly journal, this printing "is a new setting of type which faithfully follows the 1796 edition," possibly to be included in an edition of Porcupine's works. ESTC W27763. Gaines 20c.

Some foxing and minor dampstaining. A very good copy.