COBBETT, William, English writer and politician; was the son of a farmer and pub lican: b. Farnham, Surrey, 9 March 1762; d. near Guildford, 18 June 1835. In 1783 he set out to try his fortune in London and arrived there with only a half a crown in his pocket. He succeeded in obtaining a situation as copy ing clerk to an attorney of Gray's Inn, where he remained for nine months. Determined to find some other sphere of employment, he left London for Chatham, enlisted in the 54th Regiment, and after continuing there for a year proceeded with it to Nova Scotia. During his stay at Chatham he had set him self assiduously to study and the improvement of his mind. He remained four years in America, during which time his regular habits and ability and attention in the discharge of his military duties effected his promotion to the rank of sergeant-major. In 1791 he re turned to England with the regiment and shortly after arriving there obtained his dis charge. After a short stay in England and a stay of six months in France in 1792 he em barked at Havre for America. He landed in New York in. October 1792 and continued in America for eight years, where• he occupied himself with literary labors, chiefly of a politi cal kind, commencing his career by an attack on Dr. Priestley, then recently landed in America, in a pamphlet entitled 'Observa tions on the Emigration of a Martyr to the Cause of Liberty,' and signed (Peter Porcu Under this famous nom-de-plume a succession of papers appeared, all of a strongly anti-Republican tendency, which were afterward republished in England. Before leaving America he published a life of Thomas Paine. In June 1800 he sailed for England, and on his arrival started the Por cupine, which zealously supported the meas ures of Pitt, but met with little success. In a subsequent paper, the Weekly Register, he was more fortunate; and it continued to appear regularly every week up to the period of his death. Not long after its commencement symptoms of a gradual change began to ap pear in Cobbett's political opinions, and from highly conservative he passed over to extreme radical principles. In 1803 a prosecution for libel on the lord-lieutenant and other officers of state in Ireland was instituted against him and resulted in his being sentenced the fol lowing year to a fine of $2,500; while a second action, brought almost immediately afterward, subjected him to a second fine of the same amount. In 1810, owing to some remarks of
his in the Register of 10 July 1809, on the flog ging of some militiamen, he was again prose cuted for libel and sentenced to imprisonment for two years and a fine of $5,000. This last was paid by a subscription among his friends. Nowise daunted, he continued his attacks on government as soon as he was liberated and commenced his celebrated 'Twopenny Trash,' which reached a sale of 100,000, and from its supposed influence on the working classes brought about the passing of the noted Six Acts. Partly to escape their operation, he retreated to the United States, and remained here for two years, residing principally in Long Island. He returned to England in 1819 and in 1820 endeavored, unsuccessfully, to be returned member for the city of Coventry. About the same period he commenced in the Register a series of papers entitled 'Rural Rides,' afterward reprinted, which present most charming pictures of English country scenery and are among the best of his pro ductions. In 1824-27 he published a 'History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland' in which he vilified Queen Eliz abeth and the leading reformers, but added in no way to his literary reputation. The work was eagerly adopted by the Roman Catholics, who caused translations to be made of it into various European languages. In 1831 he was again prosecuted for libel on the ground of an article in the Register alleged to be published with the view of exciting the agricultural laborers to acts of violence. He conducted his own defense in a speech of six hours, and the jury not being able to come to a verdict the trial ended in their discharge. On the passing of the reform bill in 1832 Cobbett was returned member to Parliament for Oldham; but his success in thit capacity was indifferent. Nevertheless, at the general election in December 1834 he was again re turned to Parliament for Oldham. In addi tion to the writings already referred to Cob bett is the author of an English and a French Grammar; 'Advice to Young Men and Women,' containing many useful hints; 'Cot tage Economy' ; 'Village Sermons' ; 'A Year's Residence in America' ; and other works. Cobbett wrote in a pure and vigorous English style, and his writings contain a great amount of information and sound practical advice. Consult E. Smith, 'Life of Cobbett' (1878).