“THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF JULY 4, 1776, WAS DUE MORE TO PAINE’S COMMON SENSE THAN TO ANY ONE OTHER SINGLE PIECE OF WRITING”: EXCEEDINGLY RARE 1776 ENGLISH EDITION OF PAINE’S COMMON SENSE, WITH MOST ISSUE POINTS OF THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, “THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TRACT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION”

[PAINE, Thomas]. Common Sense; Addressed to the Inhabitants of America… A New Edition, with several Additions in the Body of the Work. To which is added an Appendix; together with an Address to the People called Quakers. Philadelphia, Printed; London, Re-Printed, for J. Almon, 1776. Slim octavo, original printed self wrappers, disbound; pp. [iv] [1] 2-54. Housed in a custom chemise and slipcase.

Rare 1776 English edition of Common Sense, issued within months of the first American edition, a work of such paramount interest to both America and Britain that this London edition was issued almost certainly before the Declaration of Independence— that founding document whose issuance on July 4, 1776 “was due more to Paine’s Common Sense than to any one other single piece of writing,” an exceptional copy in an intermediate state between the first and second English editions, both essentially from the same printing of type, with most points of the first English edition, housed in a custom folding chemise and half morocco slipcase.

“The Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776, was due more to Paine’s Common Sense than to any one other single piece of writing” (Grolier American 14). “Despite everything the English had done or failed to do, the decision to declare independence was not an easy one. Americans were tied by kinship, culture, and commerce to England; America and England shared a common heritage of liberty. During the winter of 1775-1776, many Americans remained confused by recent events and uncertain about what action the colonies should take. No more than a third of the Continental Congress, which was meeting in Philadelphia that winter, was definitely in favor of independence. In the middle of that season of doubt and uncertainty… [Thomas Paine], who had just arrived in the colonies, published a pamphlet that ignited the American drive for independence… In a crisp, vigorous style, Paine told Americans what they had been waiting to hear. In a few short pages he summarized the case against the institution of monarchy and presented an argument for American independence that was elegantly yet so simply stated that it could be understood by nearly every American. Common Sense was by far the most influential tract of the American Revolution, and it remains one of the most brilliant pamphlets ever written in the English language” (A Covenanted People 27). Common Sense made history as “the most discussed and most widely circulated pamphlet in America” (Gimbel, 49). The 1776 British editions, such as this copy, had a similar impact, greatly affecting public opinion and drawing many influential Englishmen to support the American cause. Common Sense was of such general interest that it was issued in England almost certainly before the Declaration of Independence. “It would be difficult to name any human composition which has had an effect at once so instant, so extended and so lasting… Common Sense turned thousands to independence who before could not endure the thought. It worked nothing short of miracles and turned Tories into Whigs” (Trevelyan, History of the American Revolution).

This rare 1776 English edition contains Paine’s additions, increasing the work by one-third. There were four English editions of Common Sense printed by Almon in 1776: issued in two forms— with James Chalmer’s Plain Truth and a general half-title page listing both works, or separately without the half title. This exceptional 1776 English edition is an intermediate state between the rare first and second editions: in the format without Plain Truth, without the half title. This has hiatuses where words and passages critical of the English crown have been deleted, including those present only in the first edition: “N—” on line 16 (p. 23), and hiatus not filled in on line 3 (p. 25). With issue points found in both the first and second English editions: “pedling” on the third line from the bottom (p. 31), “understanding” singular on the last line of the third paragraph (p. 40), and without parenthesis on lines 14 and 15 (p. 26), lines 32 and 33 (p. 29). With correct pagination of pages 23 and 51, along with, as in all editions, hiatuses on pages 14, 17, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 41, 42, 45, 51, 52. Adams notes of the second English edition: “Printed from the same setting of type” as the first English edition, excepting where certain hiatuses are printed in, “notably the words ‘combination’ and ‘usurpation’ in lines 15 and 17 of the first page of the ‘Introduction,” as herein (American Controversy 107d). “Mixed copies are known, made up of signatures from different editions” (Gimble, 86). Adams, American Controversy 76-107c/d. Gimbel CS-26; CS-28; Table III:86-7. Howes P17. Sabin 58214. See Church 1135; Evans 14954; 14959. With tiny pinholes at gutter edge from original stitching.

A fine copy. All 1776 editions of Common Sense are rare and desirable and increasingly difficult to obtain.