William Cockin

William Cockin (baptised 1736 – 1801) was an English schoolmaster and versatile author.

Life The son of Marmaduke Cockin (1712–1754), he was born at Burton-in-Kendal, Westmorland. His father was a schoolmaster.

After time spent as a teacher in schools in London, Cockin was in 1764 appointed writing-master and accountant to Lancaster Grammar School, a post he held for twenty years. He was then for eight years at John Blanchard's Nottingham Academy. Other associates were John Dawson, and Rev. John James D.D., of Arthuret.

Elocutionist In 1775 Cockin published The Art of Delivering Written Language; or, An Essay on Reading, dedicated to David Garrick, a work on elocution. His comment on the prescriptive approach of Thomas Sheridan, a leader of the movement, was that works of elocution might be as much about perceptions of ways of talking as speaking.

Cockin noted in particular the connection between modulation in speech and silent reading. He pointed out that in both speech and singing, pauses are used to frame and for emphasis. He took comical mimicry to be a low form, in terms of artistic prestige. His exposition on the topic is now a standard authority for this attitude to imitation and mimesis.

Guide books Thomas West's Guide to the Lakes, on the English Lake District, first appeared in 1778, and Cockin assisted in its compilation. This expanded work and a later edition influenced William Wordsworth's 1810 guide. Other additions included an engraving of Grasmere, after John Feary; Cockin was also responsible for footnotes, and tables of heights of the mountains.