1863 DEATH OF HIS BROTHER GEORGE 357 



am just completing a long memoir for the Linnean 

 Society ; a monograph on certain fossil reptiles must be 

 finished before the new year. My lectures have begun, 

 and there is a certain "Manual" looming in the back- 

 ground. And to crown all, these late events l have given 

 me such a wrench that I feel I must be prudent. 



The following reference to Kobert Lowe, after- 

 wards Lord Sherbrooke, has a quasi -prophetic in- 

 terest : 



May 7. Dined at the Smiths' 2 last night. Lowe 

 was to have been there, but had a dinner-party of his 

 own. ... I have come to the conviction that our friend 

 Bob is a most admirable, well-judging statesman, for he 

 says I am the only man fit to be at the head of the British 

 Museum, 3 and that if he had his way he would put me 

 there. 



Years afterwards, on Sir R Owen's retirement, he 

 was offered the post, but declined it, as he greatly 

 disliked the kind of work. At the same time, he 

 pointed out to the Minister who made the offer that 

 the man of all others for the post would be the late 

 distinguished holder of it, Sir W. H. Flower, a 

 suggestion happily acted on. 



Early in August a severe loss befell him in the 

 sudden death of his brother George, who had been 

 his close friend ever since he had returned from 

 Australia, and had given him all the help and 

 sympathy in his struggles that could be given by a 

 man of the world without special interests in science 



1 The death of his brother. 



2 Dr. (afterwards Sir William) Smith, of Dictionary fame. 

 3 I.e. of the Natural History Collections. 



