William Cobbett's "Grammar" and its Purchasers

Abstract

Osbornes writes about the great popularity and many editions of William Cobbett's "A Grammar of the English Language." As an outspoken advocate of radical change inEngland, the "Grammar" was to have been a weapon against his country's system of government and its rulers and its intended readers were the working class.  It is more than likely, however,  that the majority of buyers were ambitious members ofthe lower middle-class plus some relatively well-off artisans.