"Lord Carnarvon," says Cobbett, "told a man, in 1820, that he did not like my politics.

But what did he mean by my politics?
I have no politics but such as he ought to like.

To be sure I labour most assiduously to destroy a system of distress and misery; but is that any reason why a Lord should dislike my politics?
However, dislike them or like them, to them, to those very politics, the Lords themselves must come at last." Undoubtedly he talked like that, just as he wrote and as he spoke in public, his style, if style it can be called, being the most simple, direct, and colloquial ever written.

And for this reason, when we are aweary of the style of the stylist, where the living breathing body becomes of less consequence than its beautiful clothing, it is a relief, and refreshment, to turn from the precious and delicate expression, the implicit word, sought for high and low and at last found, the balance of every sentence and perfect harmony of the whole work--to go from it to the simple vigorous unadorned talk of Rural Rides.

A classic, and as incongruous among classics as a farmer in his smock-frock, leggings, and stout boots would appear in a company of fine gentlemen in fashionable dress.