COTTAGE ECONOMY;
CONTAINING
INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE BREWING OF BEER, MAKING OF BREAD, KEEPING OF COWS, PIGS, BEES, EWES, GOATS, POULTRY, AND RABBITS, AND RELATIVE TO OTHER MATTERS DEEMED USEFUL IN THE CONDUCTING OF THE AFFAIRS OF A LABOURER’S FAMILY; TO WHICH ARE ADDED,INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE SELECTING, THE CUTTING AND THE BLEACHING OF THE PLANTS OF ENGLISH GRASS AND GRAIN, FOR THE PURPOSE OP MAKING HATS AND, BONNETS; AND ALSO INSTRUCTIONS FOR ERECTING AND USING ICE-HOUSES, AFTER THE VIRGINIAN MANNER.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
THE POOR MAN’S FRIEND;
on,
A DEFENCE OF THE RIGHTS OF THOSE WHO DO THE WORK,
AND FIGHT THE BATTLES.
BY WILLIAM COBBETT.
NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN DOYLE, 12, LIBERTY-ST
Stereotyped by CONNER & COOKE
1833.
William Cobett was a condesending little prick, most of the advice he gives is more towards the genteel Yeoman farmer and his wife than the poor peasant who he confesses to be writting for – for a start most of the peasants couldn’t read the drivel written – which of course Cobett knew! Nevertheless they do make entertaining reading!!
I don’t completely agree but there is a nugget of truth in what you say here. I don’t think he was ever writing for the peasant but trying to make some significant changes to the government by raising awareness of some serious social injustices. Hated by most of his peers as I understand it. He did, however, take a real interest in practical farming like many of the gentry did in his day. He was as pretentious as any writer of his time.