A Calvin Blanchard Miscellany

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Bits and pieces, in preparation for a web-page update:

Biographical sketch of Calvin Blanchard’s brother, Rufus Blanchard (1821-1904)


[An entertaining snippet]

Should Blanchard† publish First Principles—and it is far from impossible (I prevented him from publishing Social Statics)—it would not only ruin the whole subscription project, but, by mingling your name with the gang of obscene, prurient, and scoffing authors whom he patronizes and advertises, would make it embarrassing for others.

† Calvin Blanchard, a disreputable publisher who kept a shop on Nassau Street, where you could buy any kind of book that your minister would frown upon—whether for free thought or for obscenity made little difference to this unsavoury Calvin. It is odd to find him wanting to publish Social Statics. Probably somebody had told him that the author was an “infidel” or a “positivist.” That would have been enough.

[from John Fiske, Edward Livingston Youmans: Interpreter of Science for the People, (New York: Appleton, 1895), 156-7]


Works Written by Calvin Blanchard:

  • The Art of Real Pleasure: That New Pleasure for which an
    Imperial Reward Was Offered. New York, Calvin Blanchard, 1864.
  • A Crisis Chapter on Government (NY: Blanchard, 1865).
  • The Essence of Science; or, The catechism of positive sociology, and physical mentality.
    By a student of Auguste Comte. New York, C. Blanchard, 1859
  • Astounding disclosures! : Hell on earth! Murder, rape, robbery, swindling, and forgery covertly organized! Cannibalism made dainty! : An exposition of the infernal machinations and horrible atrocities of whited sepulcherism : together with a sure plan for its speedy overthrow. 1860.
  • An Eye-Opener! A Real Liberty Song… 1862.
  • Life Among the Nymphs: a New Excursion through the Empire of Venus. 1867.
  • The Life of Thomas Paine; mover of the “Declaration of independence;” secretary of foreign affairs under the first American Congress; members of the National convention of
    France; author of “Common sense,” “The crisis,” “Rights of man,” “Age of reason,” &c.,
    &c.: the man, whose motto was, “The world is my country; to do good, my religion.” Embracing practical considerations on human rights; demonstrating that man tends irrepressibly to actual freedom; and showing a liberty-aim connection in the action of the world’s three great author-heroes,–Rousseau, Paine, and Comte. By the author of “The religion of science.” New York, 1860 [at Google Books]
  • The life of Thomas Paine. New York : D.M. Bennett, 1877.
  • A Message to “The Sovereign People” of the United States: exhibiting to their majesties the infernal treachery or worse inability of their religious counsellors, and of their
    political “servants,” proving the identity of the theological and ethical delusions, exposing the elective franchise hoax, and revealing a new, and self-evidently efficient remedy for
    superstition, despotism, and evil. 1860.
  • My Undertaking and its Auspices
  • The new crisis, or, Our deliverance from priestly fraud, political charlatanry, and popular despotism, 1857.
  • Religio-political physics: or, The science and art of man’s deliverance from ignorance-engendered mysticism, and its resulting theo-moral quackery and governmental brigandage. By Calvin Blanchard. New York, C. Blanchard, 1861
  • The religion of science: or, The art of actualizing liberty, and of perfecting and satisfactorily prolonging happiness : being a practical answer to the great question–“If you take away
    my religion, what will you give me in its stead?” New York: C. Blanchard, 1860

Works Published by Calvin Blanchard:

  • Basia; The Kisses of Joannes Secundus and Jean Bonnefons, 1860. [at Google Books]
  • Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron, or, Ten day’s entertainment, 1855.
  • Brown, J. Newton, and Taylor, William B. The obligation of the Sabbath, a discussion between Rev. J. Newton Brown, D.D., and William B. Taylor, 1856.
  • Comte, Auguste. The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte.
    Freely Translated and Condensed by Harriet Martineau, 1855
  • —. Social Physics: From the Philosophy of Auguste Comte, 1856. [at Google Books]
  • Edger, Henry, Modern times, the labor question, and the family.
    A brief statement of facts and principles, 1855.
  • Fourier, Charles. Brisbane, Albert. The social destiny of man,
    or, Theory of the four movements, 1857.
  • Hittell, John Shertzer. The Evidences Against Christianity, 1857. [at Google Books]
  • —. A New System of Phrenology, 1857.
  • MacNaught, John. The doctrine of inspiration: being an inquiry concerning the infallibility, inspiration, and authority of Holy Writ, 1857.
  • Paine, Thomas. The age of reason :
    being an investigation of true and fabulous theology, 1864.
  • —. Common sense, 1862.
  • Reichenbach, Karl. Somnambulism and Cramp, 1860. [at Google Books]
  • Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Confessions of J.J. Rousseau, 1856. [Vol. 1 and 2 at Google Books]
  • The secret history of the court of Charles the Second, 1850.
  • Strauss, David Friedrich. The Life of Jesus, 1860. [Vol. 2 at Google Books]
  • Taylor, Robert. Who is the devil?, 1859.
  • Volney, C.F. New Researches on Ancient History, 1856, 1860.
  • Volney, C. F. The Ruins; or Meditation on the Revolutions of Empires. To Which Is Added The Law of Nature, A Short Biographical Notice, By Count Daru, and The Controversy between Dr. Priestly and Volney.

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About Shawn P. Wilbur 2703 Articles
Independent scholar, translator and archivist.