1843-44 THE LITERARY CLUB 225 



museum of the College of Surgeons — Miss Maria 

 Edgeworth. Owen had already met her at Joanna 

 Baillie's, and there she had expressed a wish to see 

 the collection. 



1 Miss Edgeworth,' Mrs. Owen writes, ' is very 

 small — nearer my own height than anyone I ever 

 met with, except, perhaps, Joanna Baillie. There is 

 little to choose between us! It was evident that 

 my appearance caused exactly the same thought to 

 pass through Miss E.'s mind, as I was clearly not 

 at all the sort of person she had expected to see.' 



' On December 21,' the diary continues, ' Sir 

 Robert Inglis came to say that he was commis- 

 sioned by the Literary Club to ask Richard to 

 become a member.' 



Early in the following year (1844) Owen 

 received a note from Sir Robert announcing his 

 election into that club. 



7 Bedford Square : February 2, 1844. 



' My dear Sir, — When six weeks ago I men- 

 tioned to you the club dinners of the Literary 

 Society, and ascertained that it would be agreeable 

 to you to join us, I purposely abstained from adding 

 that, as I had thus obtained your assent, I intended 

 to act upon it forthwith. At the following meet- 

 ing, accordingly, I proposed you, and the Vice- 

 Chancellor of England seconded you ; and I have 

 now the gratification of informing you that you 

 were this evening — at a full meeting, including 



vol. 1. Q 



