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Contentment, or, If You Please, Confession
To Mrs. Barlow, on her pleasantly telling the author that after writing against the superstition of scripture Religion, he was setting up a Religion capable of more bigotry and enthusiasm, and more dangerous to us votaries, that of making a religion of Love.
1 O could we always live and love,
2 And always be sincere,
3 I would not wish for heaven above,
4 My heaven would be here.
5 Though many Countries I have seen,
6 And more may chance to see,
7 My little Corner of the World
8 Is half the World to me.
9 The other half, as you may guess,
10 America contains,
11 And thus between them I possess
12 The whole world for my pains.
13 I’m then contented with my lot,
14 I can no happier be,
15 For neither World, I’m sure, has got
16 So rich a man as me.
17 Then send no fiery Chariot down
18 To take me off from hence,
19 But leave me on my heavenly ground —
20 — This prayer is Common Sense.
21 Let others chuse another plan,
22 I mean no fault to find,
23 The true Theology of man
24 Is happiness of mind.
T.P.
About this text
Author: Thomas Paine
Themes:
Genres:
occasional poem
Headnote:
The manuscript is housed in the Thomas Paine National Historical Association Collection, Iona University.
Text view / Document view
Source edition
Cleary, Scott M., ed. Claeys, Gregory, gen. ed. Thomas Paine Collected Writings. Vol. II. Part 2: Poetry. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2026. 5 Volumes.
Editorial principles
The text is that of the source edition. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by Thomas Paine
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- An Account of the Burning of Bachelor’s Hall ()
- Address to the Great ()
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- The British Constitution ()
- By the Goddess of Plain Truth, A Manifesto and Proclamation ()
- Commentary on the Eastern Wise-Men Travelling to Bethlehem Guided by a Star to See the Little Jesus in a Manger ()
- Critic and Snow-drop ()
- Curious Story, for the Pennsylvania Magazine ()
- Death of General Wolfe ()
- Give Me Kind Heaven The following lines were written at a tea-table, on the author being asked what kind of woman he should prefer. ()
- The Injur’d Ghost of Liberty ()
- Liberty Tree ()
- Lines, Extempore, by Thomas Paine, July 1803 ()
- The Monk and Jew. A Tale. ()
- The New Covenant From the Castle in the Air to the little Corner of the World. ()
- O What a Pity! ()
- On the Descent upon England, Written at the Desire of a Favourite ()
- Panegyrical Verses, on the Forty-Five Cliffites ()
- Retaliation ()
- The Strange Story of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numbers, Chapter XVI. Accounted For. ()
- To Columbia SONG To the Tune of the Anacreontic ()
- To Governor Johnstone ()
- To the King of England Wednesday, November 11th, 1778. ()
- Tommy Titmouse ()
- Untitled ()
- What Is Love? ()