By Robert W. Morrell

WHILE IN LEWES for the Age of Reason exhibition I visited the first-rate bookshop of Eric Blundell in the High Street. In common with my other visits to the shop I did not go away empty handed but added several interesting items to my Paine library; one of these is so unusual that I feel it worthy of a note in the Bulletin. 

The book is entitled “Essays from the Unseen” and is written by A.T.T.P. The work lacks its title page but a pencil note on the front endpaper provides the information that the author was A.T.T. Peterson and the place of publication London, the date being 1885. The book consists of a number of “messages” said to have come from a large number of famous – and less famous historical personages long dead. Most of the “messages” are prefaced by short biographical essays. Five of the “messages” are said to come from Thomas Paine.

The author of the book certainly approves of Paine and refers to him as “the leading Spirit of the New Dispensation in the coming Age…” The content matter of the “messages” is certainly in direct contrast to Paine’s reasoned essays and it would be as much of a bore as a waste of space to discuss them here, however, it is certainly worth repeating the opinion of A.T.T.P. that Paine was a man who “deserved the highest praise for having the courage, not only to think, but to express his thoughts.” 

The book has three illustrations, one of which is of Paine illustration is said to be a reproduction of a “spirit” painting from a personage who calls himself “Freeholder” ; one is reminded here of Addison’s journal of that name. The introduction to the book claims the name to be the nom de plume of Benvenuto Cellini (1500- 1571, the Italian sculptor and goldsmith). An inscription under the portrait has the wording “Behold I will send my Angels to Prepare the way. ” Apart from the inscription and the halo appearing around Paine’s head the picture is almost identical to the well-known reproductions of the lost Romney portrait right down to the quill pen and manuscripts of Common Sense and Rights of Man on the left as one looks at a copy. 

I suspect that Paine would not have agreed with being called an “Angel”, though when taking into account some of the other things he was called, such a description is innocuous enough. This book has no value as a historical work, though perhaps spiritualists might think otherwise; it certainly has value as a Paine curiosity and well worth a place in any Paine collection if only for its value in this respect and, of course, for its odd little portrait.