25445

(Thomas Paine) William Carver (? - ?) New York a (Thomas Paine) William Carver (? - ?) New York auth

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 700.00 USD
(Thomas Paine) William Carver (? - ?) New York a (Thomas Paine) William Carver (? - ?) New York auth
<B>(Thomas Paine) William Carver (? - ?) New York author and veterinary surgeon, and associate of Thomas Paine, fine content Autograph Letter Signed</B></I> "<I>William Carver</B></I>", two pages with integral address leaf, 8.5" x 12.5", New York, July 16, 1821 to Philadelphia publishers McCarty & Davis proposing a new biography of Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine, the author of <I>Common Sense,</B></I> had returned to America on the invitation of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 but found little welcome due to his deistic views which he expressed in the <I>Age of Reason.</B></I> For the remainder of his life he moved from place to place. He spent one year (1805-1806) at the New York home of William Carver. Paine died in New York in 1809. His later radical views had alienated so many in America that only six people attended his funeral. Carver, who in 1816 had privately published <I>Select pieces, in prose & verse, on different subjects: containing epitaphs, and a letter to Thomas Paine, sent to him whilst on his dying bed. Also, an appeal to the Sovereign Maker of the universe, with the author's creed or belief of theological doctrines & opinions.,</B></I> pitches a new biography of Paine: "<I>I have been advised by a great number of citizens, to write an abridgement of the life of Thomas Paine... Cheetam's life of Paine was a scandalous work, the price two dollars, & the one published by Rickman in London, was ten and sixpence Sterling, on account of the high price of those works they met with poor sale, but it is presumed that an abridgment on duodecimo containing about 300 pages bound in boards... will meet with encouragement, the price to be one dollar... there are printers in this city that will undertake the work, Southwick was a going to do it but he died -- It struck my mind that if you was to print the work, we should stand a double chance to get subscribers having two cities to collect in...</B></I>" As we have yet to discover any citations for the proposed work, we can safely assume that the publishers declined this offer. Reinforced with archival tape at edges, small loss from seal tear not affecting text, else very good. A fun piece of association history. From the Henry E. Luhrs Collection.