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A Letter Addressed to the Abbe Raynal, on the Affairs of North America
A Letter Addressed to the Abbe Raynal on the Affairs of North America Author:Thomas Paine Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3APPENDIX. , As the following correspondence relates to the Letter To. The Abbe Raynal it is deemed proper to introduce it here ; for though private letters are entitled to secrecy and c... more »onfidence, yet when they relate to matters ia which every body is interested, and no possible inconvenience can arise from the publication of them, they textit{may afford not only amusement, but advantage. The late revolution has, doubtless, produced many letters of this . kind, which, at some future period, would be esteemed both curious and useful. The two following letters have nothing very material in them, otherwise than the latter of them shews, that the writer of it, notwithstanding all the difficulties and severities he experienced at the head of the army, was to the last devoted to undergo a further continuance of them, or any nevy hardships that might arise. Sir, textit{Borden Town, Sep. textit{7,17S2. I have the honour of presenting you with fifty copies of textit{my letter to the Abbe Raynal, for the use of the army, and to repeat to you my acknowledgments for your friendship. I fully believe we have seen our worst days over.—The spirit of the war, on the part of the enemy, textit{» certainly onthe decline, full as much as we think for. I draw his opinion not only from the present promising appearance of things, and the difficulties we know the British cabinet is in; but I add to it the peculiar effect which certain periods of time, have more or less, upon all men. The British have accustomed themselves to think of seven years in a manner different to other portions of time. They acquire this partly by habit, by reason, by religion, and by superstition. They serve seven years apprenticeship—they elect their parliament for seven years—they punish by seven years transportation, or the duplicate or ...« less