Cobbett, William (1763?-1835), was a British journalist known for his fearless attacks and satirical wit. He became noted for Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register, a political paper he began in 1802. In this paper, Cobbett at first supported the Tories (conservatives), but later championed radicalism. In his book Rural Rides (1830), he made strong comments on the state of agriculture and politics in the United Kingdom. The book was a collection of articles from the Weekly Political Register based on Cobbett’s observations during a tour of the country. Cobbett’s other books include A Bone to Gnaw for the Democrats (1795), A Grammar of the English Language (1818), History of the Protestant Reformation (1824-1827), and Advice to Young Men (1830).
Cobbett was born on March 9, probably in 1763, at Farnham, in Surrey, England. He made several visits to the United States, where, under the pen name Peter Porcupine, he wrote a number of pro-British pamphlets. He died on June 18, 1835.
