178 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. v. 



as occasional extracts taken from the diaries will 

 have shown. Even during his busiest moments 

 he would go with his wife to see any piece of 

 importance that was being played, and they both 

 numbered many friends amongst the profession. 

 One of his favourite operatic pieces was Weber's 

 ' Oberon,' which, as he has often said, he went 

 to see thirty nights in succession, when it was 

 first produced in London, and further, that he 

 paid for his seat each night. There are full 

 accounts in the diaries of the plays they both 

 went to see. On November 27 is an entry 

 which will serve as a further example : — 



' R. and I to the Haymarket Theatre to see 

 Bulwer's new play " Money ;" but the bills stated 

 that in consequence of a severe domestic cala- 

 mity Mr. Macready could not appear, so they put 

 on " Town and County," Mrs. Stirling playing 

 Rosalie Somers delightfully. " Family Jars" was 

 the last piece. Altogether a capital entertain- 

 ment in spite of our disappointment.' 



