88 ROBERT POCOCK. 



a porcupine fish (Diodon hystrix) which he had got 

 from an East Indiaman. 



"Saturday, 26th. An Italian gentleman called. He 

 came home in the Providence, and brought home four 

 black swans for the Duke of York, and a nondescript 

 bird without wings. He resides at No. 5, Swan Street, 

 Minories. Another part of Glamorgan Regiment in the 

 town. (Candles rise to Is. per pound ; ditto soap.) 



" Sunday, 27th. Mr. Kipping, from Mr. Sowerby's, 

 called. Said that Nutfield, in Surrey, abounded with 

 sulphate of barytes 3 that Mr. S. paid 20s. each time 

 on going into the mines. 



" Wednesday, SOth. Attended sale of Mr. Colesary 

 at Northfleet. Bought two nautilus shells." 



Turning aside for a moment from the Diary, it may 

 be here mentioned that upon reference to the " Gentle- 

 man's Magazine" (vol. Ixxxii. part 2, p. 419) of this 

 date, the following letter by Pocock has been found, 

 which affords a pleasing proof of his readiness to speak 

 out in defence of Hasted, the well-known Kentish 

 historian. The letter is as follows : 



" Leather Bottle Inn, 



" Northfleet, Oct. 7th, 1812. 



{ ' MR. UEBAN, A few hours in the first week of 

 every month I devote to the perusal of your Miscellany, 

 and find the short epistles inserted by its numerous 

 friends have in general given me satisfaction. This 

 pleasure certainly arises through the judicious selection 

 of your Editor. However, among the multiplicity of 

 matter contained therein some are not quite concordant 

 to my ideas ; of this nature was the paragraph signed 

 ' Litterator' (p. 201) , which cannot be passed over with- 



