In 1832 Cobbett was returned to the first reformed parliament as one of the members for Oldham. In the course of his parliamentary career he made several effective speeches ; but his success in this new field did not come up to expectation, and on more than one occasion be damaged himself by those strange blunders which here and there mark every portion of his history. His death took place unexpect edly, and after a very short illness, on the 18th of June 1835.
A complete catalogue of publications would occupy more space than we can afford. Among those not already mentioned that have attracted most attention, aro his ' Year's Residence in America ; ' 'Emigrant's Guide ;' Poor Mane Cottage Economy ; ' Village Sermons;' of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland ; " Advice to Young Men and Women ; " Grammar of the French Language;' ' English Grammar,' in a Series Of Letters to his Son ;' and his Rural Rides,' reprinted from the 'Register.' He also translated from the French Marten's treatise on the 'Law of Nations;' and was the projector and original conductor of the 'Par liamentary History,' which, for some years, bore his name.
On the subject of the intellectual character of this remarkable man, there is already a more general agreement of opinion than might have been expected, considering the vehement partisanship of the greater portion of what he has written. His mind was one of extraordinary native vigour, but apparently not well fitted by original endowment any more than by acquirement for speculatioos of the highest kind.
Cobbett's power lay in wielding more effectively perhaps than they ever were wielded before, those weapons of controversy which tell upon what in the literal acceptation of the words may be called the common sense of mankind, that is, those feelings and capacities which nearly all men possess in contradistinction to those of a more refined and exquisite character which belong to a comparatively small number. To these higher feelings and powers he has nothing to say ; they and all things that they delight in are uniformly treated by him with a scorn, real or affected, more frank and reckless certainly in its expres sion than they have met with from any other great writer. He cares for nothing but what is cared for by the multitude, and by the multitude, too, only of his own day, and, it may be even said, of his own country. Shakspere, the British Museum, antiquity, posterity, America, France, Germany, are, one and all, either wholly indifferent to him, or the objects of his bitter contempt. But in his proper line he is matchless. When he has a subject that suits him, he handles it, not so much with the artificial skill of an accomplished writer, as with the perfect and inimitable natural art with which a dog picks a bone. There are many things that other men can do, which he cannot attempt; but this he can do as none but himself can or ever could do it.