The National Register. — London, England, 1808-10-24 00:00:00

----. NATI 4 7. IR "rlori THE CT. 16. . vI , - o' . . 1 ‘t; a .4% ur tionaitution, ant) 11,0t0. 'l<! , *l " . a4iws 7 • Mut . d. ges 15 t ' 1 11 n 5 19 6 14 r, 1 16 6 5 Ii G 6 IS t I IN f. rNHALT, d. 2 a 4 0 a 4 8 8a 3 F S a 6, 0 4 a S 4,605 Y5O i 11.11.1.. d. d. 27 a 94 36 a 39 a :i.l 12 ato 16 a 39. a Itk;. d. s. d. 0 a II 0 0 :I It; 0 0 a Y i 6a 4u Adair's• 611, sls. I 551. 6d. th, W. ink g el. *lOO CI 001 a a9l a 94 a a 14 a a II 4 !echarl, I.lw oz. H3egcf ~ per Ct. .p, ' RIVEO• ;o Y;: MAW; - oh MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, No. 43. POLITICAL DECLAIMERS. 111.1.111:ER PORI 1 . -THRICE. Mx. COBB E TT. We have, for a considerable time, taken no notice of The Political Register. It will appear superfluous to those, who know how to appreciate our motives, to make any apology for this omission. We have made our stric tures on that journal from no personal animosity to Mr. Cobbett, nor from any expectation of honour from the apparent courage of entering the lists with so formidable an antagonist. We have acted on far different motives : sensible to the no inconsiderable influence, which this journxlist exercises over the public opinion, by the sin gularity of his style, a certain popularity of manner, the confidence of his assertions, and the courage he displays in the examination of public questions, we felt how necessary it was to expose his involuntary errors, and detect his wilful misrepresentations. The very respectable circulation of his journal, the celebrity he has acquired, and the no toriety of his tenets, exclude the necessity of apology, whenever we think it incumbent on us to make hiM the subject of our animadversions. He has been, for some time, strenuously and very successfully engaged in reprobating a silly and knavish transaction; on which occasion we ap plauded his courage; and were pleased with his zealous exertions. As long as he continued in .this honourable career we were proud of commending his labours ; but, unfortunately for his own reputation, and, in fact, for the public cause, his principles are too unsettled, and his habits too inveterate, to permit him to remain, long in a direct and obvious road. To make up for the restraint of a few weeks of good conduct, he invariably indulges in twice as many of extravagance and error. Had not Mr. Cobbett too frequently exposed himself to an imputation of inconsistency and unsteadiness, he might have rendered essential services to the public, and ranked high in the list of political writers ; for he joins to an un usual share of strong good sense, an unbiassed judgement and a discriminating understanding. A circumstance, %%hick renders these natural advantages the more striking and perhaps popular, is their not being restrained by the delicacy which a polite education bestows, nor by- the refine ment which taste confers. :Mr. Cobbett appears to set no value himself on these e!egant acquirements and gives a manifest preference to that kind of vigour which borders on grossness. Whatever influence he might acquire over a certain class of the public by his masculine air, and his professions of independence, he has had the misfortune to forfeit by his levity and inconstancy. Ile has, at the same time, so extravagantly condemned, and so excessively commended, at no distant intervals, the same ITICII and mensures, that his praise and disapprobation are considered as cote eyii i neither censure nor eulogy, and, are, therel'ore, regarded as unworthy of notice or resentment. He has involved himself in the mortifying predicament, in consequence of his unmanly' shufflitiq, of havi!) , ,; fuss ijiti;eas reets s,:rwith ,ti,,. A I. 1808. PRICE Bd. • • ; distrust or indifference, whatever professions he May make ; however zealous he may labour to appear, or however se rious he may really be. Whatever he does, or writes, a strong imputation of apostucy attaches to his character ; and his strictures on the parties he abandoned, and once so intemperately praised, whilst they convey seine suspicion of a treacherous, unattaching, heart, produce no other effect titan what his present professions in favour of the popular cause excite 3—they contribute to make his readers heartily laugh ! We have observed another striking pectiliarity in Mr. Cobbett: It is universally known that he has raised hiMself from the lowest obscurity, by his exertions and abilities, to a state of opulence and respectability ; which does him more honour in the public esteem, than if he owed his independence to the accidental and unmeritorious circum stance of birth. But singular and extravagant in every thing, he reproaches his antagonists with indecent acrimony, the very poverty, under the pressure of which he had con sumed the greater part of his life:The weakness, folly, and indecency of a simular accusation, from his pen t are render ed more flagrant, by his affected aversion to men of fortune and title. We are certain of finding, once a week, a most. ' angry diatribe again.st.the peculation, pride and insolence of both opposition and ministers; whilst the opulent citizens of London are accused or still greater offences by our indig nant leveller. Mr. Cobbett, in his eccentric course, menaces destruction, not only at the habitations of the great and the opulent, but,he threatens to consume the naked, totter ing chamber of the poor forlorn inhabitant, of Grub-street. This blazing comet is fortunately forced to move in a cer tain orbit by the laws of our 'social stem ; and however terrific and fiery his course, his inability to injure raises only our admiration of a plan, which can tolerate and re strain within fixed bounds so rapid and irregular an orb. We know how customary it is to censure Mr. Cobbett, on account of thegrossness of his langita,;e, and the abusive vulgarity of his reproaches. Without attempting to excuse him on this head, we are fully of opinion that a very great allowance should be made him on the score of a neglected education, and the force of cut . , lingits. if prrsons, tor , mented with this excessive delicacy, had called to mind a very homely proverb, " that custom is second nature,' they would not be so overhasty in condemning him for what he rould not, without the most es:traordinary vigi lance and perseverance, have avoided. It is, therefore, as silly to blain^ him for grossaess and indelicacy, as an animal, attacked with the hydrophobia, for biting. We wish it wer, as easy to exculpate him in other respects, as we can in this ; and our satisfaction tvould he more genuine, than we receive front the task we have nedcrl aken. Ile is, however, liable to cet.sare of a more serious and more objectionabi.; kind. ‘Ve woald willingly have dis peturA with the trouble of the foreping remarks, and chosen a subicet more consonant to our wishes, hail Mr. Cobbett gis en, in his itte e .ister of last week, a specimen lof a detest ahl.! disp9sitlon s.!ents to feel of impnl;ng the actions of public usnt ever . country, however tespects .---; P t ~~ /,