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768 COBBE movements. After the close of the war he continued hostile to the reconstruction policy of the government. He died suddenly of heart disease, while on a visit to New York. COBBE, Frances Power, an English authoress, born in Dublin in 1822. She is of English extraction, her father having derived his estates from his great-grandfather, Charles Cobbe, who was archbishop of Dublin. Her attention was early directed to theological studies, and after a wide course of reading she became deeply interested in the writings of Theodore Parker. Upon the death of her mother, which occurred while she was still young, she made inquiries of Parker in regard to a future existence. His reply was con- tained in his " Sermon of the Immortal Life." She became his warm friend and admirer, and edited the excellent English edition of his works. After her father's death she visited Italy and the East, and as the fruits of her travels wrote " The Cities of the Past " and 'Italics" (London, 1864). On returning to England she assisted Miss Mary Carpenter for a time in the Red-house reformatory. Her labors were soon discontinued in consequence of an accident, but they furnished her with the ma- terials for several papers upon the condition of the poor and friendless, which, after appearing as pamphlets and in magazines, were published with other essays under the title of " Studies New and Old of Ethical and Social Subjects " (1866), and "Hours of Work and Play" (1867). In 1860 she made a second visit to Italy, and was with Theodore Parker at Flor- ence during the last days of his life. Since his death she has been an earnest exponent of his religious ideas. Besides contributing largely to various periodicals, in some of which her sympathy for the United States during the civil war was manifested, she has written much on moral and religious subjects. 'In "Broken Lights" (1864) may be found a statement of the doctrines of the different divisions of the English church, and also a discriminating view of the writings of Renan. In her " Essay on In- tuitive Morals " (1859), perhaps her ablest pro- duction, she controverts with great force of reasoning the utilitarian theory of ethics as set forth by its English advocates. Her book en- titled "Religious Duty" (1865) may be con- sidered as a sequel to this essay. Her latest work, entitled "Darwinism in Morals, and other Essays" (London, 1872), treats of unconscious cerebration, dreams, and other questions of psychology. Miss Cobbe's present residence (1878) is in London, where she holds a promi- nent place in philanthropic and reformatory movements, as well as in literature. COBBETT, William, an English political wri- ter, born at Farnham, in Surrey, March 9, 1762, died near Farnham, June 18, 1835. His father, who for many years kept an inn at Farnham, and farmed a piece of land in the neighborhood, taught him reading, writing, and arithmetic, and employed him i.> the fields COBBETT from early boyhood. At the age of 20 he vainly endeavored to enter the navy. In the following year he made his way to London, where he became copying clerk in an attor- ney's office, which employment he found so irksome that he enlisted in the 54th infantry regiment in 1784. He was sent to Chatham, where he remained for a year, during which time he read much, studied grammar, and rose to the rank of corporal. Accompanying his regiment to New Brunswick, his good conduct during the following three years was such that at the age of 25 he was promoted, over 30 ser- geants, to the rank of sergeant major. The regiment returned to England in 1791, after which at his own request he obtained his dis- charge, with excellent testimonials from his superior officers. On Feb. 5, 1792, he married at Woolwich the daughter of a sergeant major with whom he had been acquainted in New Brunswick. Soon afterward they went to France, but on account of the revolution re- turned to England in six months, and soon sailed for the United States. At Philadelphia, under the name of " Peter Porcupine," he wrote several political pamphlets in favor of England, and opposed to French principles. He opened a shop for the sale of his own com- positions, among them one attacking Dr. Rush, who brought a suit, and obtained a verdict of $5,000 damages. In 1800 Cobbett returned to London, opened a book shop in Pall Mall, pub- lished the "Works of Peter Porcupine" in 12 volumes, and established a daily paper called "The Porcupine," in which he supported Mr. Pitt's administration. This journal was short- lived, and on stopping it Cobbett commenced the "Weekly Political Register," the publica- tion of which was continued without interrup- tion till his death. The sale of the " Register " became so large that Cobbett was soon enabled to acquire Botley, a large farm in Hampshire, where he resumed a country life, giving a few hours daily to his editorial duty. He was prose- cuted and convicted for various libels on the government and individuals. In July, 1810, he was convicted of a libel for denouncing the flog- ging of English militiamen by German soldiers, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment in Newgate, with a fine of 1,000. The money was raised by subscription, but he had to suf- fer the full sentence of imprisonment ; and though he continued to write in prison (among other productions, his famous currency book, " Paper against Gold "), his income suffered greatly. In 1816 he began an occasional pub- lication called "Two Penny Trash," whose sale rose to 100,000 copies. Its influence with the working classes was so great that the " six acts" were passed in 1817 for the express purpose of preventing public meetings, and of silencing the independent press. Cobbett re- treated to the United States, dating his subse- quent " Registers " from Long Island, where he leased a farm, until the repeal of the particu- lar statute which he feared might be put in