IS37-3& GOES TO GERMANY 125 



After being present at the meeting of the 

 British Association, Owen went to Germany for 

 the purpose of attending the ' Meeting of German 

 Naturalists,' and of examining the various mu- 

 seums within reach of his tour. He writes to his 

 wife to say that he has determined to go first to 

 Holland via Hull, and will therefore not return to 

 London. On the same sheet he sends a letter to 

 Clift, in which he says : ' Procure me at Coutts' or 

 Hammersleys' two circular bills which are payable 

 on demand at any of the bankers in any of the 

 towns I visit near the Rhine or in Holland. Will 

 you give them to Cooper 4 to deliver to me at 

 Rotterdam along with my carpet bag. . . . By 

 the way, they made a secretary of me at one 

 committee [medical], and I shall be truly glad to 

 get into Holland, where pipes are smoked in 

 peace. All proofs must remain till I come back, 

 which will be at the end of September, when I 

 hope we shall keep little Willie's first birthday in 

 happy reunion.' 



Owen reached Rotterdam on August 31, 1838, 

 and we find him writing to his wife from the 

 ' Kleine Skippershaus ' as follows : ' Dr. Richard- 

 son 5 informed me that the reading of my report 

 on the Marsupialia was fixed for the morning I 

 started, and showed me the announcement. I had 

 totally forgotten it, hadn't had time to pen a line, 

 but many had come expressly to hear it, so I begged 



4 William White Cooper. 5 Dr. John Richardson. 



