ROBERT POCOCK. 237 



work could not have been' completed ! The wov^friend 

 is often mentioned by persons in discourse, and nearly 

 as often misapplied ; it was not understood by Dryden, 

 Shakespear, Peachem, or Mathew; South only ap- 

 pears to have given it some value and its true sense ; 

 Johnson himself is silent, 1 although he justly hinted 

 at it in his preface to Lord Chesterfield, otherwise he 

 would have repeated it on his return from Scotland ; 

 and Sheridan also would have been glad to have found 

 it, just previous to his death, among the numerous 

 train who followed his remains to the grave! For -this 

 mockery of friendship and empty honour he is not alive 

 to resent by his pen ; neither is Professor Person ! 

 Permit me now, dear friends, whilst I have life and 

 gratitude left, to subscribe myself 



' ' Your most thankful historian, 



" ROBERT POCOCK." 



The following is the title-page and preface : 



THE HISTORY 



of 

 THE HUNDRED AND PARISHES 



of 



DARTFORD AND WILMINGTON, 

 IN THE COUNTY OF KENT : 



Comprising 



Their Antiquity, Commerce, Manufactures, Customs, Ecclesiastical 

 Buildings, Charities, Societies, Monumental Inscriptions, Re- 

 creations, Biography, Botany, Geology, Views, Walks, Natural 

 History, with some account of the Environs ; 



viz. 

 Erith,Chiselhurst, Darenth, Sutton, Horton, Farningham, Eynsford, 



1 See " Johnson's Dictionary," 8vo edition, 1760. 



