1837-38 ACTORS' BENEVOLENT FUND DINNER 123 



' March 26. — To Mr. Cross's Gardens with R. 

 to see an immense fire-balloon go up with three 

 people. The gardens were full, but the balloon 

 would not rise. The people did, though, and 

 behaved shamefully : they beat Mr. Cross and 

 his nephew, Mr. Tyler, and pulled things all to 

 pieces.' 



Throughout the May and June of this year 

 Owen continued to give his Hunterian Lectures, 

 chiefly descriptive of the Hunterian Collection, 

 It is noticeable that, occupied as he was by his 

 lectures and various scientific investigations, he still 

 found time to interest himself with other matters 

 often completely outside his own particular line. 

 As an instance out of many given in the diaries, 

 we find that in June he helped to promote an 

 1 Actors' Benevolent Fund,' attending a meeting 

 and dinner given by actors for some charitable 

 purpose connected with their profession. After 

 speaking, in company with such men as Sheridan 

 Knowles, Charles Kean, and Mr. Harley, an 

 amusing incident occurred. ' A member of the 

 Zoological Council,' says Mrs. Owen, ' sat oppo- 

 site Richard, and happened to ask him what day 

 Lord Derby's dinner was, for all the Society's 

 Council were invited to it. Lord Glengall, who 

 was in the chair, heard the question, and, pointing 

 to R., asked in a stage whisper : " Who's that ? " 

 The reply was : " Oh, nobody in particular — only 

 the first anatomist of the age ! " 



