xxn RICHARD OWEN 379 



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 but 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 

 unfailing flow of anecdote, considerable sense of humour, and 

 strongly -developed faculty of imagination, he was not only 

 an extremely adroit controversialist, but could say as hard 

 things as any one of an adversary or rival. It was to 

 Owen's many-sided and very complex character that the 

 remarkably different estimates formed of him personally by 

 his contemporaries was due. Unfortunately he was often 

 engaged in controversy, a circumstance which led to a com- 

 parative isolation in his position among men who followed 

 kindred pursuits, which was doubtless painful to himself as well 

 as to others. It was this, combined with a certain inaptitude 

 for ordinary business affairs, which was the cause of his never 

 having been called to occupy several of the distinguished 

 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 responsibilities. He was made a C.B. 

 in 1873, and a K.C.B. on his retirement 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 



