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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: WATSON'S REPLY. Fame's Popularity and Habits—A Curious Side-Light Thrown upon Him in " Men and Times of the Revolution." " About this period, the notorious Tom Paine arrived at Nantes, in the Alliance frigate, as Secretary of Colonel Laurens, Minister Extraordinary from Congress, and he took up his quarters at my boarding place. " He was (Tom Paine) coarse and uncouth in his manners, loathsome in his appearance, and a disgusting egotist, rejoicing most in talking of himself, and reading the effusions of his own mind. Yet, I could not, repress the deepest emotions of gratitude toward him, as theinstru- ment of Providence in accelerating the declaration of our Independence. He certainly was a prominent agent in preparing the public sentiment of America for that glorious event. The idea of Independence had not occupied the popular mind, and when guardedly approached on the topic, it shrank from the conception, as fraught with doubt, with peril, and with suffering. " In 1775 or 1776, I was present at Providence, Khode Island, in a social assembly of most of the prominent leaders of the state. I recollect that the subject of independence was cautiously introduced by an ardent Whig, and the thought seemed to excite the abhorrence of the whole circle. " A few weeks after, Paine's "Common Sense" appeared and passed through the Continent like an electric spark. It everywhere flashed conviction, and aroused a determinedspirit, which resulted in the Declaration of Independence, npon the 4th of July, ensuing. The name of Paine was precious to every Whig heart, and had resounded throughout Europe. " On his arrival, being announced, the Mayor, and some of the most distinguished citizens of Nantes, called upon him, to render their homage of respect. I often officiated as in...
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