ROBERT POCOCK. 235 



entitled as the friend of the author, for without his sub- 

 scription the work never would have appeared. 



" In the progress of this History, whilst some small 

 obstacles and delays have occurred on one side, it is 

 but just to acknowledge the kind friendship and 

 assistance the author has received from the communi- 

 cations of Charles Clarke, Esq., F.S. A.; John Latham, 

 Esq., M.D.; Rute, Esq., F.L.S., &c., surgeon of Dart- 

 ford, for his list of rare plants in the neighbourhood ; 

 the Rev. Mr. Carrey, of Wilmington ; the lately de- 

 parted and much-lamented Rev. Mark Noble, vicar of 

 Barming, &c.; with other gentlemen and ladies, to whom 

 the author will always consider himself under obligation. 



" To announce a work of this nature we must have 

 recourse to advertisements, letters, packets, and many 

 thousands of handbills printed and distributed to gain 

 subscribers. The carriage of a single packet is not 

 an object -, but many come expensive (especially when 

 paid by an author not abounding in riches). There- 

 fore he humbly solicits that early communications 

 and subscriptions may be forwarded free, or at as 

 easy a rate as possible, and the mode pointed out 

 by which the book may be conveyed when finished, for 

 which purpose he has appointed agents at various 

 places, and named persons to receive subscriptions on 

 the three principal roads leading through Kent viz., 

 to Dover, Ashford, and Tunbridge Wells whose 

 receipts will be proper vouchers. 



"If this undertaking is accomplished with any 

 small profitj the author will proceed to describe the 

 other parts of the county of Kent." 



It may be here stated, by way of parenthesis, that 

 the author was quite competent to have performed, 



