ROBERT POCOCK. 253 



At one time lie indited his own epitaph,, in a hope- 

 ful strain, trusting that his memory might live in his 

 native town as the author of its annals. Thus he 

 wrote, 



" An Epitaph. The register of this parish records 

 the birth and death of Robert Pocock (son of John 

 and Martha). He made his exit on 18 , having 

 existed the space of years j but in that time 



he produced a ' History of Gravesend and Milton/ 

 with other works, which will perpetuate his memory." 



At some other period, when haunted by his em- 

 barrassments and apprehensions of arrest, he wrote, 



" The Gravesend historian finished his writing on 

 18 , when years old, being arrested by 

 Death." 



Under his own hand, and speaking of himself, we 

 have the following painful retrospect of these his 

 later days ; he says, 



" After being driven from house and home, destitute 

 of money, furniture, &c.^ and experiencing more dis- 

 tress and mortification than falls to the lot of many," 



His son George lingered at Dartf ord near his father's 

 tomb till about 1835, when whatever few relics re- 

 mained were presumably sold by auction, and he 

 himself left for South America. He had seen service 

 in his youth under Sir Gregor McGregor, and he died 

 in the service of Queen Isabella, at Santander, in 

 1836, six years after his father. 



The scant memory which yet lingers at Dartf ord 

 Jbhe retreat of this reduced and broken-hearted man 



