in pairs." The severally representative character and influence of
these two men in the revolutionary era, in France and England,
deserve more adequate study than they have received. While Paine
maintained freedom of discussion, Burke first proposed criminal
prosecution for sentiments by no means libellous (such as Paine's
Part First). While Paine was endeavoring to make the movement in
France peaceful, Burke fomented the league of monarchs against France
which maddened its people, and brought on the Reign of Terror. While
Paine was endeavoring to preserve the French throne ("phantom" though
he believed it), to prevent bloodshed, Burke was secretly writing to
the Queen of France, entreating her not to compromise, and to " trust
to the support of foreign armies " (" Histoire de France depuis
1789." Henri Martin, i., 151). While Burke thus helped to bring the
King and Queen to the guillotine, Paine pleaded for their lives to
the last moment. While Paine maintained the right of mankind to
improve their condition, Burke held that " the awful Author of our
being is the author of our place in the order of existence; and that,
having disposed and marshalled us by a divine tactick, not according
to our will, but according to his, he has, in and by that
disposition, virtually subjected us to act the part which belongs to
the place assigned us." Paine was a religious believer in eternal
principles; Burke held that " political problems do not primarily
concern truth or falsehood. They relate to good or evil. What in the
result is likely to produce evil is politically false, that which is
productive of good politically is true." Assuming thus the
visionary's right to decide before the result what was " likely to
produce evil," Burke vigorously sought to kindle war against the
French Republic which might have developed itself peacefully, while
Paine was striving for an international Congress in Europe in the
interest of peace. Paine had faith in the people, and believed that,