Edmund Burke's attack on the French Revolution in his Reflections infuriated Paine, who then rushed into print with his answer, The Rights of Man. Paine hoped this book would do for England what his Common Sense had done for America. He appropriately dedicated the first part to George Washington and the second part to the Marquis de Lafayette. Paine's response caused a furor in England; Paine was tried in absentia, and convicted of seditious libel against the Crown, but was unavailable for hanging, being in France and never returning to England. Rights of Man is the "textbook of radical thought and the clearest of all expositions of the basic principles of democracy.” [PMM 241]. ESTC: T143861, T169451, N34501, T5837; PMM: 241.

Octavo, [4], [5], viii-x, [1], 8-171, [1], xv, [1], 178, [2], 36, [4], 78, [2] pages. In Very Good condition. Bound in 19th century three quarter calf, marbled paper boards. Mild wear and rubbing. Cracking to front hinge. Text block untrimmed. Four parts bound together, with paginations and registers restarting with new title pages. With a small slip of contemporary paper noting the parts bound in and noting that they are 'to be sewed in one volume'.

Rights of Man, London: printed for J.S. Jordan, No. 166. fleet-street, 1791. In this 'third edition' Paine is described on the titlepage as "Author of the works intitled "Common Sense" and "A letter to the Abbe Raynal"";. With half-title.

[Bound with] Rights of Man Part the Second, London : Printed for J.S. Jordan, No. 166, Fleet-Street, 1792. Fourth Edition. With half-title.;

[Bound with] Paine, Thomas. Two Letters to Lord Onslow, London : Printed for James Ridgway, York-Street, St. James’s Square, 1792. Sixth Edition.;

[Bound with] Paine, Thomas. Letter Addressed to the Addressers on the Late Proclamation, London : printed for H. D. Symonds, in Paternoster-Row, and Thomas Clio Rickman, No. 7, upper Mary-Le-Bone-Street, 1792.;

JP consignment. Shelved in Case 3.