being acquainted with the subjects of all the Latin books.
used in the school.

The natural bent of my mind was to science. I had
some turn, and I believe some talent for poetry; but this I
rather repressed than encouraged, as leading too much into
the field of imagination. As soon as I was able, I pur-
chased a pair of globes, and attended the philosophical
lectures of Martin and Ferguson, and became afterwards
acquainted with Dr. Bevis, of the society called the Royal
Society, then living in the Temple, and an excellerit astron-
omer.

I had no disposition for what was called politics. It pre-
sented to my mind no other idea than is contained in the
word Jockeyship. When, therefore, I turned my thoughts
towards matters of government, I had to form a system for
myself, that accorded with the moral and philosophic prin-
ciples in which I had been educated. I saw, or at least I
thought I saw, a vast scene opening itself to the world in
the affairs of America; and it appeared to me, that unless
the Americans changed the plan they were then pursuing,
with respect to the government of England, and declared
themselves independent, they would not only involve them-
selves in a multiplicity of new difficulties, but shut out the
prospect that was then offering itself to mankind through
their means. It was from these motives that I published
the work known by the name of Common Sense, which
is the first work I ever did publish, and so far as I can
judge of myself, I believe I should never have been known
in the world as an author on any subject whatever, had it
not been for the affairs of America. I wrote Common
Sense the latter end of the year 1775, and published it the
first of January, 1776. ¹ Independence was declared the
fourth of July following.

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