在世界近代史上，有一个人的思想和著作对美利坚合众国的诞生曾起了催化促成的重要作用，而他却是一个英国人，凡是读过一点西方历史的人都知道他的名字——托马斯·潘恩，一个无情抨击暴政的斗士、一个不懈呼吁正义与民主的灵魂。

“常识”和“理性”是潘恩思想的两个基本观念，它体现了科学的精神，是判断正确与谬误的准绳，是反对迷信与盲从的有效武器，是引导后人追求真理的思维工具，也是这位“世界公民”为我们留下的一份有价值的遗产。他的文章语言精炼、层次分明、结构严密，抒情与说理有机结合，逻辑性很强，是美国文学史上散文著作的经典。

COMMON SENSE

Introduction

Of the Origin and Design of Government in General

Of Monarchy and Hereditary Succession

Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs

Of the Present Ability of America

Appendix

THE AGE OF REASON

Part One

ChapterⅠ——The Author s Profession of Faith

ChapterⅡ——Of Missions and Revelations

ChapterⅢ——Concerning the Character of Jesus Christ and His History

ChapterⅣ——Of the Bases of Christianity

ChapterⅤ——Examination in Detail of the Preceding Bases

ChapterⅥ——Of the True Theology

ChapterⅦ——Examination of the Old Testament

ChapterⅧ——Of the New Testament

ChapterⅨ——In What the True Revelation Consists

ChapterⅩ——Concerning God and the Lights Cast on His Existence and

Attributers by the Bible

ChapterⅪ——Of the Theology of the Christians；and the True Theology

ChapterⅫ——The Effects of Christianism on Education Proposed Reforms

ChapterⅩⅢ——Comparison of Christianism with the Religious Ideas Inspired by Nature

ChapterⅩⅣ——System of the Universe

ChapterⅩⅤ——Advantages of the Existence of Many Worlds in Each Solar System

ChapterⅩⅥ——Applications of the Preceding to the System of the Christians

ChapterⅩⅦ——Of the Means Employed in All Time and Almost Universally to Deceive the Peoples

Recapitulation

Part Two

Preface

ChapterⅠ——The Old Testament

ChapterⅡ——The New Testament

ChapterⅢ——Conclusion