692 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



To promote the "revolution of the world," a he published his "Age of 

 Reason," well entitled a complete piece of ribaldry. 



As a companion of the blood-thirsty Robespierre, we find him next 

 sitting on the trial of the innocent Louis. 



He was subsequently confined in the dungeons of Paris, where he had 

 a narrow escape of his life. 6 



In 1796 he published his letter to General Washington, which con- 

 tained a causeless, ungrateful, virulent and useless attack on one of the 

 best of men. 



Shortly after this, he was expelled from the society of his fellow in- 

 fidels, and a second time committed to prison. He now deemed it ex- 

 pedient to fly to America, taking under his charge a lady named Madame 

 Bonneville, and her three sons. Soon after his arrival in New York, we find 

 him in possession of the farm at New Rochelle. A portion of the house 

 in which he lived (at this period) is still standing : here he had a small 

 room, the furniture of which embraced a miserable straw bed, deal table 

 a chair, Bible, and jug of spirituous liquors. His breakfast table is thus 

 described by an eye witness (Mr. Carver) : "The table-cloth was com- 

 posed of newspapers ! on it was a tea-pot, some coarse brown sugar, part 

 of a rye loaf, and quarter of a pound of butter." 



As to Tom Paine's drunkenness, which has been stoutly denied, we 

 have the following proof. 



A writer in one of the daily papers said of Paine's habits : 



" The stories of his drunkenness and licentiousness are the wicked invention of 

 the clergy whose path he has dared to cross, and who only refrain from practic- 

 ing the abominable cruelties of past ages upon those who differ from them — not 

 because of want of will, but because their strength is shorn." 



a The "Revolution of the World" was a toast given by Paine at a public meeting in 

 Loudon. 



b 'One evening (says Grant Thorburn) Mr. Paine related tome the following anecdote He 

 said it was iu the reign of Robespierre, when every republican that the monster could get in 

 his power was cut down by the knife of the guillotine. Paine was in the dungeon, and his 

 name was 011 the list, with twenty -four others, ordered for execution next morning, it was 

 ens! Hilary for the clerk of the tribunal to go through the cells at night, and put a cross with 

 chalk ou the back of the door of such as were to be guillotine.!. In the morning, when the 

 executioner came with his guard, wherever they found a chalk, the victim was brought forth. 

 There was a long passage in the cellar of this Bastile, having a row of cells on each side con- 

 tainingthe prisoners ; the passage was secured at each end, but the doors of the cells were 

 left open through the day, and the prisoners stepped into one another's rooms to converse, 

 fa-iu: had gone into the next cell, and left his own door open back to the wall, thus having 

 the door inside out. Just then came the chalkers, and probably being drunk, crossed the in- 

 side of Paine's door. Next morning, when the guard came with an order to bring outt wenty- 

 four, and finding only twenty-three chalks, (Paine being in bed and the door shut,) thuy 

 took a prisoner from the further end of the passage, and thus made upthe number; so Mr. 

 Paine escaped. Before the mistake was discovered, or about 'forty-eight hours after, a 

 stronger party than Robespierre's cut off his head and about thirty of his associates— so 

 Paine was set at liberty ; and being afraid to trust his head anions tliu good republicans lor 

 whom he had written so mueh, he made the best of his way to this country."— Memiiiiscences 

 0/ Grant Thorburn. 



c Abridged from Chutham's Life of Paine. 



