Contentment, or, If You Please, Confession Thomas Paine Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Cleary, Scott M., ed. Claeys, Gregory, gen. ed. Thomas Paine Collected Writings. Vol. II. Part 2: Poetry. Princeton Princeton UP 2026 pp. []-[]. 5 Volumes.

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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 .

O could we always live and love , And always be sincere , I would not wish for heaven above , My heaven would be here . Though many Countries I have seen , And more may chance to see , My little Corner of the World Is half the World to me . The other half , as you may guess , America contains , And thus between them I possess The whole world for my pains . I’m then contented with my lot , I can no happier be , For neither World , I’m sure , has got So rich a man as me . Then send no fiery Chariot down To take me off from hence , But leave me on my heavenly ground — — This prayer is Common Sense . Let others chuse another plan , I mean no fault to find , The true Theology of man Is happiness of mind .
T.P.