PREFACE. ix 



And therein I have endeavoured to give only such 

 of his published matter as could not properly be dis- 

 pensed with, and as much of his unpublished writings 

 as I fairly could. Nevertheless I have collected all I 

 could reach that seemed to bear upon his life and 

 character, so as to make the biography as complete as 

 possible ; yet, probably this would have appeared to 

 higher advantage if it had been set forth by greater 

 literary experience than the arduous duties of a 

 laborious profession have allowed me to acquire. 



Another motive I must avow in addition to a sense 

 of justice to Pocock's memory ; like him I am a towns- 

 man of Gravesend, and love my native town and feel 

 interested in its credit and repute. 



This is not the place to descant upon the merits of 

 the authors it has produced since Pocock's day, but 

 I am unwilling silently to pass by the memory of Mr. 

 Robert P. Cruden (twice Mayor of Gravesend), whose 

 researches into the history and incidents of this locality 

 and of the Port of London are so creditable an emula- 

 tion of his early predecessor, William Bourne ; nor of 

 Mr. Coombe (the immediate precursor of the present 

 popular town clerk), who wrote upon the evidences of 

 Christianity; and descending to native authors yet 

 living, still less would I wish to omit a passing tribute 

 to my brothers, Edwin Arnold, C.S.I, (who has written 

 various historical and poetical works, and largely con- 

 tributed to Oriental literature), and Arthur Arnold, 

 M.P. for Salford (the author of works of political and 



