readiness of his restoration, sufficiently prove his offence to have been unimportant and little affecting his moral character; and the humility and confession that his conduct had "merited displeasure" is but the customary form of petition, and amounts to nothing.

In the time between his dismissal and return to office he was engaged as teacher at Mr. Noble's Academy, in Leman Street, Goodman's Fields; and afterwards at Mr. Gardner's Academy, at Kensington. During his residence in London, he attended the philosophical lectures of Martin and Ferguson, and became acquainted with Dr. Bevis, the astronomer, a member of the Royal Society." He also purchased a pair of globes, and appears to have closely studied and to have acquired great proficiency in mechanics, mathematics, and astronomy.

*

In 1768 he was settled, as an exciseman at Lewes, in Sussex; and there, in 1771, married Elizabeth Ollive, shortly after the death of her father, a tobacconist of that place, with whom he had lodged, and whose business he entered into and carried on. In 1772 he wrote a pamphlet - The Case of the Officers of Excise -advocating the claims of the excisemen to higher salaries. Four thousand copies of this work were printed at Lewes. He also, about this time wrote several

*Age of Reason.

This pamphlet," says Richard Carlile in his Life of Paine, page 6. is the first known literary production of Mr. Paine. "He was selected by the body of excisemen to draw up a case in support of a petition they were about to present to Parliament for an increase of salary. This task he performed in a most able manner; and, although this incident drew forth his first essay at prose composition, it would have done honor to the first literary character in the country. It did not fail to obtain for its author universal approbation. The Case of the Officers of Excise is so temperately stated the propriety of increasing their salaries which were then but smallurged with such powerful reasons and striking convictions, that, although we might abhor such an inquisitorial system of excise as has long disgraced this country, we cannot fail to admire the arguments and abilities of Mr. Faine, who was then an exciseman, in an endeavor to increase their salaries. He was evidently the child of Nature from the beginning, and the success of his writings was mainly attributable to his never losing sight of this infallible guide. In his recommendation to Government to increase the salaries of excisemen. he argues from natural feelings, and shows the absolute necessity of placing a man beyond the reach of want, if honesty be expected in a place of trust, and that the strongest inducement to honesty is to raise

little pieces in verse, * which, however, hardly bear

him out in his remark that he had "some talent for poetry." In April, 1774, on the plea that his trading in excisable articles was incompatible with his situation, he was again dismissed from the excise. This was the ostensible reason: it is not impossible that his pamphlet-in so much as it evinced a resolute and independent spirit, a disposition to oppose injustice, to sift and eradicate abuses-had something to do with his discharge; since nothing was adduced against him beyond a mere suspicion that he connived at and was concerned in smuggling, a common practice among his neighbors and fellow-officers. Indeed, so well was his duty performed, that he received several letters from the principal clerk in the Excise-Office, thanking him for his assiduity. In the same month the goods of his shop were sold to pay his debts; and almost immediately after, he was separated from his wife, by mutual agreement, articles of which were settled on the following 4th of June. He had never cohabited with her from their marriage till the day of their separation, a period of three years, although they lived in the same house. To those, who upon this circumstance would found an unfavorable opinion, we will only say, that no inference bearing upon Paine's character can be deduced from the bare fact, of which neither the extrinsic causes nor the personal motives can be known; referring them to his own reply to the questioning of his friend Clio Rickman, who attests the truth of our relation :- "It is nobody's business but my own: I had cause for it, but I will name it to no the spirit of a man, by enabling and encouraging him to make a respectable appearance."

"This Case of the Officers of Excise" says Carlile, "procured Mr. Paine an introduction to Oliver Goldsmith, with whom he continued on terms of intimacy during his stay in England."-Eckler.

*These poetical productions consisted of The Death of Wolfe, a song; and the humorous narrative about The Three Justices and Farmer Short's Dog.-Eckler.

one." He returned to London; and in the same year became acquainted with Dr. Franklin, then in London as agent for the House of Representatives of Massachusetts. He had happened, when a school-boy, to pick up a pleasing Natural History of Virginia; and his inclination from that day of seeing the western side of the Atlantic never left him. * Being now without home or employment, this inclination appears to have gained strength, probably encouraged by Franklin; and, furnished by him with letters of introduction, he proceeded forthwith to America; † arriving at Philadelphia, in the winter of 1774, a few months previous to the commencement of actual hostilities between Great Britain and her rebellious colonies.

His first engagement in the New World was with a Mr. Aitkin, a bookseller, as editor of the Pennsylvania Magazine, at a salary of £25 a year. The first number of this work, containing an introduction written by him, bears date, January 24, 1775. The well-known song, On the Death of General Wolfe, written by him at Lewes, appeared in an early number. In a number for November of the same year, he proposed the plan of a Saltpetre Association for supplying the national magazines with gunpowder, all foreign supplies being cut off. writings in the magazine procured him the society of

*Crisis, note to No. 3.

His

Carlile in his Life of Paine states the case somewhat fuller. He says that in the autumn of 1774, Paine " was introduced to the celebrated Dr. Franklin, then on an embassy to England respecting the dispute with the Colonies, and the doctor was so much pleased with Mr. Paine that he pointed his attention to America as the best mart for his talents and principles, and gave him letters of recommendation to several friends. He took his voyage immediately, and reached Philadelphia just before Christmas. In January he had become acquainted with a Mr. Aitkin, a bookseller, who, it appears, started a magazine, for the purpose of availing himself of Mr. Paine's talents. It was called the Pennsylvania Magazine, and, from our author's abilities, soon obtained a currency that exceeded any other work of the kind in America. Many of Mr. Paine's productions in the papers and magazines of America have never reached this country (England) so as to be republished, but such as we have seen are excellent, and compel us to admit that his literary productions are as admirable for style as his political and theological are for principle."-Eckler.