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Secondary sourceBook1817

The Life of Thomas Paine

James Cheetham · 1817

A biography of Paine by James Cheetham, published in an 1817 reprint. Cheetham was a contemporary, and his account is hostile to Paine, which shows the controversy over Paine's reputation.

An early biography of Paine written by a contemporary critic, showing how his reputation was contested soon after his life.

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The Life of Thomas PainePDF · 208 pages
James Cheetham, The Life of Thomas Paine, reprinted London, 1817. Scanned book, Internet Archive.

About this source

What it is

This is a biography titled The Life of Thomas Paine, by James Cheetham. The title page describes Paine as the author of Common Sense, The Crisis and Rights of Man. The copy shown is an 1817 reprint, printed in America and reprinted in London for A. Maxwell. It includes a copyright notice filed in the District of New York, and it quotes Shakespeare on its title page.

Why it matters

Cheetham was a contemporary of Paine, and his book is an early and hostile account of Paine's life. It shows that Paine's reputation was already disputed in the years after his death in 1809. Reading it alongside friendlier accounts lets students see how different people in the same period judged the same man.

Look closer

  • What words and quotations does the author use on the title page, and what image of Paine do they suggest?
  • Which parts of Paine's life does the biography focus on, and which parts does it pass over?
  • How might Cheetham's relationship to Paine affect what he chose to write?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Thomas Paine on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Title page of the 1776 Philadelphia pamphlet Common Sense, addressed to the Inhabitants of America, printed by R. Bell in Third Street. Handwritten annotations include a name in the top corner and Thomas Paine's name near the bottom.Book

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Thomas Paine · 10 January 1776

Photograph of the first page of a printed 1776 pamphlet titled The American Crisis, Number I, by Thomas Paine, with handwritten annotations at the top reading 'by Thomas Paine' and 'published in the Penn. Journal' and 'June 1776'. The printed text begins 'These are the times that try men's souls.'Book

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The American Crisis

Thomas Paine · 1776-1783

Title page of Rights of Man, reading 'Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution, by Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to Congress in the American War, and Author of the Work Intitled Common Sense. London: Printed for J. S. Jordan, No. 166, Fleet-Street. MDCCXCI.' Handwritten ink marks appear in the upper right corner.Book

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Rights of Man

Thomas Paine · 1791-1792

Title page of The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine. Text reads: 'The Age of Reason; Being an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology. By Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to Congress in the American War, and author of the works entitled Common Sense, and Rights of Man, &c. Paris: Printed by Barrois. London: Sold by D. I. Eaton, at the Cock and Swine, No. 74, Newgate-street. 1794. Price two shillings.'Book

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Thomas Paine · 1794-1807

Scan of the engrossed Declaration of Independence on aged parchment. Heading reads 'In Congress, July 4, 1776' with the title 'The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America' below. Dense handwritten text fills the page; signatures appear at the bottom.Document

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Continental Congress (drafted by Thomas Jefferson) · 1776

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