William Cobbett born (9-3-1763)

"Radical pamphleteer, journalist, politician and farmer" (Wiki)
I seem to remember we had something to read from his "Rural Rides" early in my education (high school?!).
Anyhow, he also wrote an English grammar, in the form of a series of letters to his young son. I picked up a copy of this a couple of years ago, and commented on a.u.e.: "not much of a grammarian, but his political asides are interesting".
I won't amend that, but Crystal points out that the intentions of his grammar are also interesting and unusual for the time. Most existing grammars were directed at gentlepersons, to teach them how to write and converse in a manner befitting their class.
Cobbett's subtitle is: "Intended for the Use of Schools and of Young Persons in General, but more especially for the Use of Soldiers, Sailors, Apprentices and Plough-Boys".
Not so that they could pretend to be gentlemen, though:
"The possession of this branch of knowledge raises you in your own esteem, gives just confidence in yourself, and prevents you from being the willing slave of the rich and titled parts of the community."
And finally, a memory of how he spent his time when he was in the army (1783-91):
"I procured me a Lowth's grammar [see 8 February] and applied myself to the study of it with unceasing assiduity and not without some profit...I wrote the whole grammar out two or three times. I got it by heart; I repeated it every morning and every evening, and, when on guard, I imposed on myself the task of saying it all over once every time I was posted sentinel."