WILLIAM, one of the most remarkable political agitators of his time, was the son of a farmer at Farnham in Surrey, where he was born in 1762. In a tract published by himself in 1796, under the title of the "Life and Adventures of Peter Porcupine," he gives an account of his self education, carried on with extraordinary ardour and perseverance, under circumstances of great difficulty and discouragement. His early years were spent in the labours of the farm; but in the autumn of 1782, happening to visit Portsmouth, the sight of the sea, the ships, and the sailors, excited in his youthful mind aspirations after martial glory and foreign adventures, and he offered to serve on board a man of war, but was not accepted. Shortly afterwards he went to London, where he was employed as a copying-clerk by an attorney. Tiring of this employment, he next enlisted in a regiment of foot, which was stationed at Chatham for nearly a year. During this time he applied himself with amazing assiduity to study the English grammar, writing the book over twice or thrice, committing it to memory, and repeating it to himself while standing sentry. The regiment was next ordered to Nova Scotia, where, by his good conduct and diligent application to his duties, he was advanced to the rank of sergeant-major. In 1791 he returned to England, procured his discharge, and married the daughter of a sergeant-major of artillery. One of his first acts after his return was to bring charges of peculation against four officers of his late regiment. A court-martial was appointed to try them, but, on the day of trial, to the astonishment of all, Cobbett was not to be found; he had crossed over to France. From France he sailed for New York, where he arrived in October 1792. There he published an abusive pamphlet against Priestley. This was followed by a number of other anti-republican tracts of a violent and reckless character, which involved him in several prosecutions for libel, and ultimately induced him to remove from America to England. On his arrival in London in 1800, he commenced a daily paper, entitled "The Porcupine," which however was soon discontinued, and followed... by the "Weekly Register." For the first two years he advocated Tory principles, and was a decided supporter of the government; but about 1803 the "Register" completely changed its politics. From that time it was violently democratic and anti-ministerial; and as the work had a very large circulation, and was written in a bold nervous style, its influence was extensive. Cobbett was repeatedly tried for libel, and subjected to heavy damages; and, in 1810, for a libel in his observations on a case of flogging in the army, he was subjected to a fine of L1000 and two years' imprisonment. In 1817 he again visited America; but in two years he returned home, bringing with him the bones of Thomas Paine. All this time the "Register" continued to be published, and he was twice again involved in actions for libel, in one of which he was cast in damages of L1000.

In 1832 he attained the great object of his ambition by being elected member of parliament for Oldham; but he disappointed the expectations of his admirers. Parliament was not his proper sphere; his unscrupulous charges and inaccurate assertions were too immediately detected and exposed. The late hours consequent upon his parliamentary duties affected his health, and after a short illness he died, June 18, 1835.

His writings are very voluminous. Amongst the best of these are his English and French Grammars, Cottage Economy, and Advice to Young Men. He is a striking example of the benefit of industry, perseverance, and an economical improvement of time. He went to bed punctually at nine o'clock, and rose at four, and was thus enabled to complete the greater part of the writing which he apportioned to himself before others had commenced their daily occupations.

Cobbett was a man of proud, overbearing temper; but his writings, though often coarse, dogmatical, and offensively personal, bear the stamp of vigour, and, with occasional slips, furnish a good example of the severe and simple English style.