The Writings of Thomas Paine — Volume 1 (1774-1779): The American Crisis

From the opening

[Redactor's Note: Reprinted from the "The Writings of Thomas Paine Volume I" (1894 - 1896). The author's notes are preceded by a "*".]

The Crisis No. V - To General Sir William Howe - To The Inhabitants Of America

The Crisis No. VI - To The Earl Of Carlisle, General Clinton, And William Eden, ESQ., British Commissioners At New York

The Crisis No. IX - The Crisis Extraordinary - On the Subject of Taxation

The Crisis No. X - On The King Of England's Speech - To The People Of America

The Crisis No. XI - On The Present State Of News - A Supernumerary Crisis (To Sir Guy Carleton.)

The Crisis No. XIII - On The Peace, And The Probable Advantages Thereof

THOMAS PAINE, in his Will, speaks of this work as The American Crisis, remembering perhaps that a number of political pamphlets had appeared in London, 1775-1776, under general title of "The Crisis." By the blunder of an early English publisher of Paine's writings, one essay in the London "Crisis" was attributed to Paine, and the error has continued to cause confusion. This publisher was D. I. Eaton, who printed as the first number of Paine's "Crisis" an essay taken from the London publication. But his prefatory note says: "Since the printing of this book, the publisher is informed that No. 1, or first Crisis in this publication, is not one of the thirteen which Paine wrote, but a letter previous to them." Unfortunately this correction is sufficiently equivocal to leave on some minds the notion that Paine did write the letter in question, albeit not as a number of his "Crisis "; especially as Eaton's editor unwarrantably appended the signature "C. S.," suggesting "Common Sense." There are, however, no such letters in the London essay, which is signed "Casca." It was published August, 1775, in the form of a letter to General Gage, in answer to his Proclamation concerning the affair at Lexington. It was certainly not written by Paine.

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