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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

“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

“Poverty is, except where there is an actual want of food and raiment, a thing much more imaginary than real. The shame of poverty--the shame of being thought poor--it is a great and fatal weakness, though arising in this country, from the fashion of the times themselves.”

Want Real Country Poor Poverty Fashion Weakness Shame Imaginary

Book:Advice to Young Men - And (Incidentally) to Young Women in the Middle and Higher Ranks of Life. In a Series of Letters, Addressed to a Youth, a Bachelor, a Lover, a Husband, a Father, a Citizen, or a Subject.

Source: Advice to Young Men - And (Incidentally) to Young Women in the Middle and Higher Ranks of Life. In a Series of Letters, Addressed to a Youth, a Bachelor, a Lover, a Husband, a Father, a Citizen, or a Subject.

“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

“Be you in what line of life you may, it will be amongst your misfortunes if you have not time properly to attend to [money management]; for. ... want of attention to pecuniary matters ... has impeded the progress of science and of genius itself.”

Ifs Want May Matter Science Lines Attention Progress Genius Accounts Management Misfortunes Be You Money Management

Book:Advice to Young Men And (Incidentally) to Young Women in the Middle and Higher Ranks of Life. In a Series of Letters, Addressed to a Youth, a Bachelor, a Lover, a Husband, a Father, a Citizen, or a Subject.

Source: Advice to Young Men And (Incidentally) to Young Women in the Middle and Higher Ranks of Life. In a Series of Letters, Addressed to a Youth, a Bachelor, a Lover, a Husband, a Father, a Citizen, or a Subject.

“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

“The Christian religion, then, is not an affair of preaching, or prating, or ranting, but of taking care of the bodies as well as the souls of people; not an affair of belief and of faith and of professions, but an affair of doing good, and especially to those who are in want; not an affair of fire and brimstone, but an affair of bacon and bread, beer and a bed.”

People Want Wells Soul Body Care Christian Belief Fire Bed Affair Profession Bread Beer Preaching Doing Good

Author:William Cobbett