By Abraham Raimbach (Contributed by Ray Watkinson)

In 1843, the Memoirs of Abraham Raimbach the engraver (1776-1843)  were published by his son. Raimbach was a friend of David Wilkie the  painter, and highly regarded in his profession. In 1802, during the  Peace of Amiens, like many more British artists, he crossed the Channel  to France to see the great assemblage of works of art collected by  Napoleon from all over Europe, and stayed there two months, meeting  many French artists, and drawing in the Louvre. He timed his journey  to arrive in Paris in time for the Bastille celebrations, travelling from  London to Brighton on Thursday July 8th, crossing to Dieppe, and  arriving in Paris by the evening of the 12th. In the course of his  extremely interesting account of these two months there, he includes  this passage (pp.78-80):  

`Few men have had greater influence in their time for good or evil  than Thomas Paine. As the able and active disseminator of these  democratic and irreligious principles which, though apparently crushed  and extinguished,  

“Still in their ashes burn their wonted fires!” 

and threaten from time to time to set the world again in a  revolutionary blaze, this extraordinary man was a subject of interest and  curiosity both in what he had been and in what he had become. He was  now a fallen meteor – poor, friendless, and almost dependent for his  daily bread upon the casual bounty of some of his compassionate  fellow-countrymen. He was at this time constantly to be seen at an  obscure cabaret in an obscure street in the Fauxbourg St. Germain (Cafe  Jacob, Rue Jacob). The scene, as we entered the room from the street – it was on the groundfloor – was, under the circumstances, somewhat  impressive. It was on a summer’s evening, and several of the tables were  occupied by men, apparently tradesmen and mechanics, some playing  at the then universal game of dominoes, others drinking their bottles of  light, frothy, but pleasant beer, or their little glass of liqueur, while in a  retired part of the room sat the once dreaded demagogue, the  supposed conspirator against thrones and altars, the renowned Thomas  Paine! He was in conversation with several well-dressed Irishmen, who  soon afterwards took their leave, and we placed ourselves at his table.  His general appearance was mean and poverty-stricken. The portrait of  him engraved by Sharp from Romney’s picture of him is a good  likeness; but he was now much withered and care-worn, though his dark  eye still retained its sparkling vigour. He was fluent in speech, of mild  and gentle demeanour, clear and distinct in enunciation, and his voice  exceedingly soft and agreeable. The subject of his talk being of course political, resembled very much his printed opinions; and the dogmatic  form in which he delivered them seemed to evince his own perfect  self-conviction of their truth. Among many predictions that subsequent  events have not verified, he expressed himself quite confident that the  Bank of England would never resume cash payments. Paine had been a member of the National Convention; and it is pleasant to know, as an Englishman, that on the trial of Louis XVI, he voted for the King’s  being pardoned. He was imprisoned during the time of terror, and narrowly escaped with his life. I understood afterwards that Colonel  Cosville, of Yorkshire, had shewn him great kindness, and enabled him  to return to America, where he dragged out the few remaining years of  his life in neglect and poverty.”  

Note on Bosville (Dictionary of National Biography). Bosville, William  (1745-1813) bon vivant. Lieutenant, 1769; served in American war;  retired from army, 1777: travelled in France, Italy and Morocco, and  subsequently settled in Welbeck St., London, where he became  renowned for his hospitality.