1841-42 CIVIL LIST PENSION 203 



her six sacks of potatoes. She records sadly : 

 1 We had to pay 2/. 35. 6d. for carriage ! ' 



On November 1 Owen took the nautilus 

 which he had received from Captain Belcher to 

 the Linnean Society, and read a paper there on 

 the subject. 



On his return to the College of Surgeons he 

 found, to his surprise, a letter awaiting him from 

 Sir Robert Peel, containing the intelligence that 

 he had advised the Queen to put Owen on the 

 Civil List for an annual pension of 200/. 



Whitehall : November 1, 1842. 



' Sir, — It is my duty to offer advice to H.M. 

 in respect to the appropriation of a public fund 

 which is annually disposable and which may be 

 applied to the recognition and reward either of 

 distinguished public service or of eminence in 

 literature or science. The amount within my 

 control for the present year (so far as science is 

 concerned) is very limited. It does not exceed 

 300/. in the whole, but as I know no public claim 

 preferable to yours I shall have great satisfaction 

 in proposing to H.M., with your consent, that an 

 annual pension from H.M. Civil List of 200/. 

 shall be granted to you. Your acquiescence in 

 this proposal will not in the slightest degree fetter 

 your independence. I have not inquired what 

 are your political opinions, and am wholly unaware 

 of them. My only object in making this com- 



