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William Cobbett

William Cobbett Quotes

Pamphleteer

William Cobbett (March 9, 1763 - June 18, 1835) was an influential English pamphleteer, writer, and radical. Known for his critical analysis of the political and social issues of his time, Cobbett's work had a profound impact on the social and political landscape of 18th and 19th century Britain.

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Famous William Cobbett Quotes

“Having still in my recollection so many excellent men, to whose grandfathers, upon the same spots, my grandfather had yielded cheerful obedience and reverence, it is not without sincere sorrow that I have beheld many of the sons of these men driven from their fathers' mansions, or holding them as little better than tenants or stewards, while the swarms of Placemen, Pensioners, Contractors, and Nabobs... have usurped a large part of the soil.”

Men Littles Stills Father Son Sorrow Driven Spots Obedience Excellent Soil Sincere Reverence Grandfather Cheerful My Grandfather Recollection Mansions Stewards Swarms Contractor Tenants

Author:William Cobbett

“You may twist the word freedom as long as you please, but at last it comes to quiet enjoyment of your own property, or it comes to nothing. Why do men want any of those things that are called political rights and privileges? Why do they, for instance, want to vote at elections for members of parliament? Oh! Because they shall then have an influence over the conduct of those members. And of what use is that? Oh! Then they will prevent the members from doing wrong.”

Source: A History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland

“Patience is the most necessary quality for business, many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request. It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world.”

Men World Stories Quality Heard Patience Misery Grants Leap Attempting Request

Author:William Cobbett

“It is not the greatness of a man's means that makes him independent, so much as the smallness of his wants.”

Men Want Mean Desire Greatness Dignity Independent Smallness

Author:William Cobbett

“To suppose such a thing possible as a society, in which men, who are able and willing to work, cannot support their families, and ought, with a great part of the women, to be compelled to lead a life of celibacy, for fear of having children to be starved; to suppose such a thing possible is monstrous.”

Men Children Able Poverty Support Willing Ought Compelled Monstrous Having Children Celibacy

Book:Selections from Cobbett's Political Works: Being a Complete Abridgement of the 100 Volumes which Comprise the Writings of

Source: Selections from Cobbett's Political Works: Being a Complete Abridgement of the 100 Volumes which Comprise the Writings of

“Men of integrity are generally pretty obstinate, in adhering to an opinion once adopted.”

Men Opinion Integrity Adopted Obstinate Obstinacy Man Of Integrity

Book:Beauties of Cobbett

Source: Beauties of Cobbett

“Never esteem men on account of their riches or their station. Respect goodness, find it where you may.”

Men May War Goodness Accounts Riches Esteem Stations

Book:Cobbett's Political Register

Source: Cobbett's Political Register

“Grammar, perfectly understood, enables us not only to express our meaning fully and clearly, but so to express it as to enable us to defy the ingenuity of man to give to our words any other meaning than that which we ourselves intend them to express.”

Men Giving Language Understood Grammar Ingenuity Our Words

Book:A grammar of the English language, etc

Source: A grammar of the English language, etc

“However roguish a man may be, he always loves to deal with an honest man.”

Men May Deals Honest Honest Man

Book:Cobbett's America: a selection from the writings of William Cobbett

Source: Cobbett's America: a selection from the writings of William Cobbett

“Men fail much oftener from want of perseverance than from want of talent.”

Men Want Failing Talent Perseverance

Book:Advice to Young Men, and, incidentally, to Young Women, in the middle and higher ranks of life. In a series of letters, etc

Source: Advice to Young Men, and, incidentally, to Young Women, in the middle and higher ranks of life. In a series of letters, etc

“From a very early age I had imbibed the opinion that it was every man's duty to do all that lay in his power to leave his country as good as he had found it.”

Men Country Age Found Opinion Duty Lays Every Man

Author:William Cobbett