228 ROBERT POCOCK. 



even now it is computed that the MS. materials re- 

 maining extant, are equal to an octavo of 600 pages. 

 The difficulty, however, with him was not the labour 

 not at all, his industry, and his love of information, 

 whether ancient or modern, impelled him forward in 

 spite of ordinary obstacles ; but it was his poverty 

 here was the bane. 



We offer no excuse for presenting the prospectus, 

 title-page, and preface of this latter work, with which he 

 may truly be said to have ' ' been in labour," asking that 

 it may be remembered that, owing to circumstances, they 

 are but rough drafts, which he would have corrected 

 and improved had events permitted. He was a great 

 admirer of Hasted, the historian of Kent, and had de- 

 fended his good name and fame, as we have seen, in 

 the " Gentleman's Magazine," especially in 1812, and 

 he wished this new work in the land of his adoption, or 

 of his proscription, to have corresponded in type and 

 character with, and to have formed an extra volume 

 to, Hasted's " Kent " (in eight volumes octavo). 



It is considered that Pocock's flight to Dartford 

 occurred in the spring of 1827, as the author has seen 

 a letter from his friend and fellow-antiquary, Mr. Clarke, 

 addressed under date the 31st of March in that year 

 to him, " under the care of his son, George Pocock, 

 printer, Dartford ;" though it is equally clear that the 

 poor-rate receipts for Gravesend for use subsequent to 

 Easter were printed by the father, and bore on the 

 foil of each, " R. Pocock, printer, Gravesend, Kent j" 

 such receipts are, however, invariably prepared and 

 printed several weeks in advance. 



It may savour of encroachment upon the reader to 

 set forth in esctenso, not alone the draft prospectus 



