Nifty Quote

[Peredhil]

Thomas Paine Common Sense - preface

a long habit of not thinking a thing WRONG, gives it a superficial appearance of being RIGHT, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.  But the tumult soon subsides.  Time makes more converts than reason.

 

I particularly like the last sentence.

[Merelas]

Ah, Common Sense...

 

Groundbreaking work encouraging the Revolution... First book (other than the bible, of course) that was written in plain, simple language, and told the common man why the 13 colonies should separate from Mother England...

 

Brilliant. Simply Brilliant.

[Parmenion]

Where in the bible does it say that the 13 colonies should break away from the British? :woot:

 

Nice quote Peredhil.

[Merelas]

mmm... perhaps I strung that sentence out too long and added too many adjectives.

 

I meant that, aside from the bible, Common Sense was the first book that was widely read among colonists... the first "best-seller", you could say. Also, that it was written in plain and simple English (not so many flourishes), and it was easy for the common man to read.

 

The bible, of course, does not directly impart the knowledge that the 13 Colonies should separate from Mother England. However, there were many biblical references in the Declaration of Independance, and the common Christian virtues were put in mind when the constitution, as well as the early amendments to that constitution were framed.

 

Though, that was not what I was arguing about in my first post.

 

Please excuse me for any confusion I have caused.