Rights of Man... part I.: [bound with 5 other works].

London: Printed for H. D. Symonds,, 1792. The revolutionary debate A pamphlet volume of radical and anti-radical works published in London around the French Revolution, including early editions of both parts of Paine's Rights of Man, the response of future US president John Quincy Adams to Paine, and an apparently unrecorded account of the execution of Louis XVI. The Rights of Man, Paine's great defence of the inalienable rights of the people, and their right to revolution when governments do not uphold these rights, went through many printings in quick succession and met a wide readership, despite the Pitt government's attempts at censorship. Written in response to Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France, Paine defends the French Revolution and proposes reforms to Britain's own system. John Quincy Adams's response to Paine was first published in an American newspaper in 1791. "Adams' articles did not directly condemn the French Revolution, but they argued against revolutionary change except under the most extreme circumstances. Without questioning the right of Americans to throw off British rule in 1776, he maintained that revolution was justifiable only as a last alternative to 'the degradation of slavery'... Conservative in their basic philosophy, the articles were so well written and demonstrated such a thorough grasp of ancient and modern political theory that they were widely reprinted in the United States and Great Britain" (Teed, p. 31). The anonymous author of The Duties of Man directly rebuts Paine, noting that men much prefer being told of their rights than their duties, and sets forth their duties to religion, to the king, and to pay taxes and tithes. The author concludes the consequence of adopting Paine's principles would be "their constitution overturned, their country enslaved, their property plundered, their commerce lost, their manufacturers ruined". Such sentiments are not held by the next work, A Tribute to Liberty, which collects a number of radical songs, including mocking Edmund Burke, praising French liberty and Thomas Paine, and openly expressing republican aspirations. The final work in the volume, King of France. The Execution, of Louis the Sixteenth is apparently unrecorded, not noted by ESTC, Library Hub, or WorldCat. It gives an account of Louis XVI's actions leading to the revolution and his death sentence, and a detailed description of the execution itself, appended with the king's will. Comprising: i) PAINE, Thomas. Rights of Man... Part I. London: Printed for H. D. Symonds, 1792. The first part of Rights of Man was first published in 1791 by Joseph Johnson, who withdrew it from sale after only a few copies were issued, with the edition afterwards properly issued by J. S. Jordan. ii) PAINE, Thomas. Rights of Man; Part the Second. London: Printed for H. D. Symonds, 1792. The second part of Rights of Man was first published earlier the same year by J. S. Jordan. iii) ADAMS, John Quincy. An Answer to Pain's Rights of Man. London: reprinted for Owen Picadilly; and sold by Symonds and Parsons, 1793. Adams's Answer was originally published in the Columbian Sentinel, a Boston newspaper in 1791, published in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 1792, and published in London by John Stockdale earlier in 1793. iv) ANON. The Duties of Man in Connexion with his Rights. London: Printed for Messrs. Rivington, 1793. First edition of this reply to Paine, with two apparent issues noted by ESTC, locating six copies across the two. v) THOMPSON, R. (ballad writer). A Tribute to Liberty: or, a New Collection of Patriotic Songs... Sacred to the Rights of Man. London: printed for and sold by Thomson, 1793. There are two editions without known priority; ESTC locates five copies between them. vi) ANON. King of France. The Execution, of Louis the Sixteenth; (Impartially Investigated) in which is considered The Conduct and Character of the deceased Monarch, and the Motives which actuated his Enemies to make him their Victim. To which is added a circumstantial Account of his Execution, And a True Copy of his Last Will and Testament. London: Printed for J. Downes, 1793. 46pp. The only copy that could be located. 6 works bound in 1 volume, octavo (185 x 109 mm). Recent brown half morocco, spine lettered in gilt, marbled sides. Contemporary manuscript contents leaf bound at front. Both parts of Rights of Man bound without terminal advertisement leaves. Title page of Rights of Man part I reinserted with discolouration in inner margin, part II pp. 81/2 with small chip affecting heading without loss, contents with some spotting and some catchwords shaved. Overall very good copies. ESTC T5878; T5879; N30406; T35052; T180473; not in ESTC. Paul E. Teed, John Quincy Adams: Yankee Nationalist, 2006.