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

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 eyiii
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 pent 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 ittee.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