altogether.

Gilbert White, who a hundred and thirty years ago published his
_Natural History of Selborne_, was the first, and I suppose the most
eminent, historian of any obscure village, and it is surprising, as
his book has for so long been regarded as a classic, that so few have
attempted a similar record. His great work remains an inspiring ideal
which village historians can keep in view, not without some hope of
producing a useful description of country life as they have seen it
themselves.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge with grateful thanks the kind help of
friends and correspondents which I have received in writing this book.
Mr. Warde Fowler was good enough to look through the chapters while
still in manuscript, and I have also received great help from Mr.
Herbert A. Evans, who has read through the proofs. The help of
others--besides those whose names I give in the text--has been less
general and mostly confined to some details in the historical part of
the first chapter, and to portions of the subject-matter of the last.
Mr. Hugh Last, Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford, most kindly gave
much valuable time to the examination of the Roman coins and assigning
them to their respective reigns; he contributed also the notes on the
Emperors, with special reference to the events in Britain which
occurred during their reigns. Mr. Dudley F. Nevill of Burley helped me
in a variety of ways, and Mr. C.A. Binyon of Badsey supplied some of
the historical details and information about the ancient roads.

Looking back over the years I spent at Aldington, I see much more
sunshine and blue sky than cloud and storm, notwithstanding the
difficulties of the times. It is a continual source of pleasure to go