
audiobook
by Thomas Paine
A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE ABBE RAYNAL, - ON THE - AFFAIRS OF NORTH AMERICA; - IN WHICH THE MISTAKES IN THE ABBE's ACCOUNT OF THE REVOLUTION of AMREICA [sic] ARE CORRECTED AND CLEARED UP.
BY THOMAS PAINE, - SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO CONGRESS, DURING THE AMERICAN WAR, AND AUTHOR OF COMMON SENSE, AND THE RIGHTS OF MAN.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. RIDGEWAY, NO. 1, YORK-STREET, ST. JAMES'S SQUARE. M,DCC,XII. [sic, actually 1792]
INTRODUCTION
A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE ABBE RAYNAL
POSTSCRIPT
A concise, fiercely argued letter addressed to the French scholar Abbé Raynal, this work sets out to correct a series of misunderstandings about the American Revolution that had slipped into overseas accounts. Written by a prominent figure in the revolutionary government, the author confronts mistaken facts and misread motives, offering a clear‑cut view of how the colonies organized and fought for independence. The opening pages reveal the urgency felt by early American leaders to shape the narrative while the war was still fresh.
Beyond the historical corrections, the pamphlet expands into a bold defense of literary ownership and ethical publishing. It denounces the unauthorized use of a French manuscript, exposing how profit and patriotism were sometimes mixed to justify plagiarism. Listeners gain a vivid snapshot of the intellectual battles that ran alongside the battlefield, illustrating the young nation’s concern for both truth and the rights of its thinkers.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (129K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Steven Gibbs and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
Release date
2005-03-07
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1737–1809
A fiery pamphleteer with a gift for plainspoken argument, he helped turn revolutionary ideas into words ordinary people could rally around. His works on independence, rights, and religion made him one of the most influential political writers of the late 18th century.
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