234 ROBERT POCOCK. 



some thought requisite, towards which he humbly 

 solicits aid ; many valuable and scarce records yet lie 

 with much dormant information, hid in our churches, 

 public libraries, and private families, especially with the 

 clergy of the adjoining parishes, whose assistance in 

 this undertaking he humbly requests, by referring to 

 the register books of their parishes, where many curious 

 memoranda are frequently discovered, which he begs to 

 solicit, and which may be forwarded to the printer prior 

 to the publication. 



" Whoever employ themselves in works of this nature 

 are well aware of the perplexity and mortification which 

 accompanies the labour. The impatience of some ; 

 the lukewarmness of others ; the sneer of the self-con- 

 ceited ; the austere behaviour and the silent contempt 

 which authors experience, is enough to dishearten 

 an attempt to be useful. Kepeatedly has the author of 

 the present work sent letters without having answers 

 returned. His presence upon asking for information has 

 been thought troublesome. Others wait to have the 

 opinion of reviewers ; others, more cunning, say we can 

 read it at the circulating library for a few pence ; but 

 the author retaliates on this class of readers by 

 endeavouring to keep the book from their sight, 

 assuring them most faithfully that no more copies will 

 be printed than subscribed for, and that after the 

 period of publication no copy can be procured or seen 

 unless through the favour of a subscriber. Nor can a 

 subscriber individually have more than one copy in one 

 name, which name will be printed on the title-page. This 

 novel mode, although attended with additional expense 

 and trouble, will be adopted to secure the subscriber, and 

 render his copy more scarce and valuable, to which he is 



