1892 VIEWS ON OWEN'S WORK 273 



What am I to do about the meeting about Owen's 

 statue on the 21st ? I do not wish to pose either as a 

 humbugging approver or as a sulky disapprover. The 

 man did honest work, enough to deserve his statue, and 

 that is all that concerns the public 



Aud on the 18th : — 



I am inclined to think that I had better attend the 

 meeting at all costs. But I do not see why I should 

 speak unless I am called upon to do so. 



I have no earthly objection to say all that I honestly 

 can of good about Owen's work — and there is much to be 

 said about some of it — on the contrary, I should be well 

 pleased to do so. 



But I have no reparation to make ; if the business 

 were to come over again, I should do as I did. My opinion 

 of the man's character is exactly what it was, and under 

 the circumstances there is a sort of hypocrisy about volun- 

 teering anything, which goes against my grain. 



The best position for me would be to be asked to 

 second the resolution for the statue — then the proposer 

 would have the field of personal fiction and butter-boat 

 aU to himself 



To Sir W. H. Flower 



Dec. 28, 1892. 



I think you are quite right in taking an active share 

 in the movement for the memorial When a man is 

 dead and can do no more harm, one must do a sum in 



merits 

 subtraction, deserts and if the a;'s are not all minus 



x + x + x 

 quantities, give him credit accordingly. But I think 

 that in your appeal, for which the Committee will be 

 responsible, it is this balance of solid scientific merit — a 

 VOL. Ill T 



