![PAINE, Thomas (1737-1809). Autograph manuscript signed (“Thomas Paine”), “Letter of Thomas Paine to Camille Jourdan,” [Paris] c.1797. [With:] CARLILE, Richard (1790-1843). Autograph letter signed (“Richard Carlile”) to Squire Farrar, 6 April 1824.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/NYR/2018_NYR_16082_0100_001(paine_thomas_autograph_manuscript_signed_letter_of_thomas_paine_to_cam_d6145886032210).jpg?w=1)
![PAINE, Thomas (1737-1809). Autograph manuscript signed (“Thomas Paine”), “Letter of Thomas Paine to Camille Jourdan,” [Paris] c.1797. [With:] CARLILE, Richard (1790-1843). Autograph letter signed (“Richard Carlile”) to Squire Farrar, 6 April 1824.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/NYR/2018_NYR_16082_0100_000(paine_thomas_autograph_manuscript_signed_letter_of_thomas_paine_to_cam_d6145886032154).jpg?w=1)
Details
PAINE, Thomas (1737-1809). Autograph manuscript signed (“Thomas Paine”), “Letter of Thomas Paine to Camille Jourdan,” [Paris] c.1797. [With:] CARLILE, Richard (1790-1843). Autograph letter signed (“Richard Carlile”) to Squire Farrar, 6 April 1824.
Manuscript: 14 pages, 250 x 120mm (wear and some soiling, loss to lower third of second leaf and several words replaced in a contemporary hand). Letter: four pages, 230 x 180mm, bifolium (creased where folded for mailing, wear along folds, remnants of seal causing some loss at inner margin not affecting text).
"The intellectual part of religion is a private affair between every man and his Maker, and in which no third party has any right to interfere": a rare autograph manuscript by the author of Common Sense and Rights of Man. Written in Paris after the publication of The Age of Reason, the present manuscript is Paine’s celebrated theological essay attacking organized religion. "No man ought to make a living by religion. It is dishonest to do so. Religion is not an act that can be performed by proxy. One person cannot act religion for another. Every person must perform it for himself: and all that a Priest can do is to take from him; he wants nothing but his money, and then to riot on his spoil and laugh at his credulity." An extract of "Camille Jourdan" originally appeared in the Courier in 1797 but the full text remained unpublished until after Paine’s death. The manuscript is accompanied by a letter from Paine's publisher, Richard Carlile—imprisoned at the time of writing for publishing Paine's work—vouching for the manuscript’s authenticity. Carlile writes to Squire Farrar “I have found some difficulty to get the enclosed MS of Thomas Paine out of Lancashire, not that I think any one person have wished to withhold it, but the number of desirous of looking at it were so great, as to occupy more time.” He goes on to explain the condition – “When sent to Manchester, the paper, though bearing the appearance of age, was clean; and I am sorry to see it in so dirty a state on its return." According to Carlile's 1822 account in The Republican, he acquired the manuscript from Madame M. B. de Bonneville, with whom Paine had lodged in Paris (her husband was his printer) and who later became his executor, possessing after his death “the bulk of his property.” Provenance: Richard Carlile (letter) – Squire Farrar (letter) – Florence Dennison (letter) – Sotheby’s, 15 December 1988. [With:] FARRAR, Squire. Autograph letter signed (“Sq.Farrar”) to Benjamin Dennison, 10 July 1856, attesting to the circumstances under which he received the manuscript and forwarding Carlile’s letter. [And:] DENNISON, Florence. Autograph letter signed (“Florence Dennison”), 2 August 1964, sending the items to Mr Lewis.
Manuscript: 14 pages, 250 x 120mm (wear and some soiling, loss to lower third of second leaf and several words replaced in a contemporary hand). Letter: four pages, 230 x 180mm, bifolium (creased where folded for mailing, wear along folds, remnants of seal causing some loss at inner margin not affecting text).
"The intellectual part of religion is a private affair between every man and his Maker, and in which no third party has any right to interfere": a rare autograph manuscript by the author of Common Sense and Rights of Man. Written in Paris after the publication of The Age of Reason, the present manuscript is Paine’s celebrated theological essay attacking organized religion. "No man ought to make a living by religion. It is dishonest to do so. Religion is not an act that can be performed by proxy. One person cannot act religion for another. Every person must perform it for himself: and all that a Priest can do is to take from him; he wants nothing but his money, and then to riot on his spoil and laugh at his credulity." An extract of "Camille Jourdan" originally appeared in the Courier in 1797 but the full text remained unpublished until after Paine’s death. The manuscript is accompanied by a letter from Paine's publisher, Richard Carlile—imprisoned at the time of writing for publishing Paine's work—vouching for the manuscript’s authenticity. Carlile writes to Squire Farrar “I have found some difficulty to get the enclosed MS of Thomas Paine out of Lancashire, not that I think any one person have wished to withhold it, but the number of desirous of looking at it were so great, as to occupy more time.” He goes on to explain the condition – “When sent to Manchester, the paper, though bearing the appearance of age, was clean; and I am sorry to see it in so dirty a state on its return." According to Carlile's 1822 account in The Republican, he acquired the manuscript from Madame M. B. de Bonneville, with whom Paine had lodged in Paris (her husband was his printer) and who later became his executor, possessing after his death “the bulk of his property.” Provenance: Richard Carlile (letter) – Squire Farrar (letter) – Florence Dennison (letter) – Sotheby’s, 15 December 1988. [With:] FARRAR, Squire. Autograph letter signed (“Sq.Farrar”) to Benjamin Dennison, 10 July 1856, attesting to the circumstances under which he received the manuscript and forwarding Carlile’s letter. [And:] DENNISON, Florence. Autograph letter signed (“Florence Dennison”), 2 August 1964, sending the items to Mr Lewis.