William Cobbett Part 8 – William Cobbett’s Legacy

William Cobbett died as he had lived – arguing. His final illness didn’t prevent him from dictating angry letters to newspaper editors, and his last recorded words were reportedly complaints about the incompetence of his doctors. It was, in its way, a perfect end to a life spent in perpetual combat with the world.. But the manner of his death was less remarkable than its aftermath: the man who had commanded the attention of thousands simply disappeared from public memory with startling speed.

William Cobbett died friendless and has been largely forgotten. He created a template for political engagement that has continued to be used and developed for two centuries. But that was hardly something he consciously did, and was inevitable as the mass media that he was one of the first to use developed. He was a pioneer in the same way that Christopher Columbus was. He may have been the 1st to get there, but somebody was going to in the end. He left no followers, no templates to follow and no particular philosophy.

But he remains an engaging and entertaining character. His Rurual Rides remain entertaining if not especially informative purely because of the force of character that leaps off the page. And while he didn’t actually achieve anything very much he did leave some good advice. Like Mr McCawber he wasn’t especially good at following his own advice, but it remains good advice. And despite everything, it is impossible to dislike him.