1824-33 MISS CLIFT 39 



passed very creditably at Apothecaries' Hall at 

 only one day's preparation or rather reconsidera- 

 tion, which was no bad proof of what was in him, 

 as he could hardly have been said to have attended 



to that subject for the last three years ' 



The first letter of Owen's which is preserved 

 is one written about this time to his future wife, 

 with reference to this appointment. All his letters 

 to her are characterised by sound common-sense, 

 and are affectionate in tone without being senti- 

 mental. There is emphatically ' no nonsense 

 about them.' 



Richard Owen to Miss Clift 



January 9, 1830. 



1 Dear Caroline, — At present the chances are 

 that I shall return to you for good and all. 



' The greatest advantage that can accrue from 

 my present undertaking is a lucrative practice in 

 the town of Birmingham, and that (hdlas I) only 

 after some time. I therefore hope rather to 

 return to you, even in the event of my election, 

 should any circumstances ever render my services 

 of worth to the College, and I shall return with 

 the satisfaction of having studied my profession 

 practically under a surgeon like Mr. Hodgson, and 

 perhaps be able to compete with some of the 

 Londoners. 



' Whatever be my lot, it is now more interest- 

 ing to me than ever, for such must be yours. 



