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constantly be seen at public concerts, listening with rapt attention, 

 and in his earlier days was. himself no mean vocalist, and acquired 

 considerable proficiency in playing the violoncello. He was also a 

 neat and careful draughtsman ; the large number of anatomical 

 sketches he left behind him testify to his industry in this direction. 

 His handwriting was unusually clear and finished, considering the vast 

 quantity of manuscript that flowed from his pen, for he rarely resorted 

 to dictation or any labour-saving process. Only those who have had to 

 clear out rooms, official or private, which have been long occupied by 

 him can have any idea of the quantity of memoranda and extracts 

 which he made with his own hand, and most of the books he was in 

 the habit of using were filled with notes and comments. 



Owen's was a very remarkable personality, both physically and 

 mentally. He was tall and ungainly in figure, with massive head, lofty 

 forehead, curiously round, prominent and expressive eyes, high cheek 

 bones, large mouth and projecting chin, long, lank, dark hair, and 

 during the greater part of his life, smooth-shaven face, and very florid 

 complexion. Though in his general intercourse with others usually 

 possessed of much of the ceremonial courtesy of the old school, and 

 when in congenial society a delightful companion, owing to his un- 

 failing flow of anecdote, considerable sense of humour, and strongly- 

 developed faculty of imagination, he was not only an extremely adroit 

 controversialist, but no man could say harder things of an adversary 

 or rival. Unfortunately he was often engaged in controversy, a 

 circumstance which led to a comparative isolation in his position 

 among men who followed kindred pursuits, which was doubtless pain- 

 ful to himself as well as to others. It was this, combined with a cer- 

 tain inaptitude for ordinary business affairs, which was the cause of 

 his never having been called to occupy several of the distiugniched 

 official positions in science to which his immense labours and brilliant 

 talents would otherwise have fairly entitled him. Over the British 

 Association he presided at the meeting at Leeds in 1858, and he had 

 his full share of those honours and dignities to which a scientific 

 man can aspire which involve no corresponding duties or responsi- 

 bilities. He was made a C.B. in 1873, and a K.C.B. on his retire- 

 ment from the Museum in 1884. He received the Prussian Order 

 " Pour le Merite " in 1851, the Cross of the French Legion of Honour 

 in 1855, and was also decorated by the King of Italy with the Order 

 of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, and by the Emperor of Brazil with 

 the Order of the Eose. He was chosen one of the eight foreign 

 Associates of the Institute of France in 1859. The Universities of 

 Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin conferred upon him their honorary 

 degrees, and he was an honorary or corresponding member of nearly 

 every important scientific society in the world. The Geological 

 Society presented him with the Wollaston Medal in 1838, and the 



