272 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. ix. 



CHAPTER IX 



1846-47 



Owen's proposal of a National Collection of Fossil and Recent 

 Comparative Anatomy — The British Association at Southamp- 

 ton, 1846, and at Oxford, 1847— Literary Work— The Rajah of 

 Sarawak at 'The Club,' 1847 — Member of the Commission 

 of Sewers — Foundation of the Palaeontological Society, 1848. 



A scheme which Owen had very near at heart 

 was the furtherance of the growth and utility 

 of the collections under his charge and those 

 at the British Museum, and the following copy 

 of a letter which he addressed to Sir Robert Peel 

 shows that he lost no opportunity of advancing 

 his plans : — 



Richard Owen to Sir R. Peel 



Royal College of Surgeons : February 13, 1846 



' Dear Sir Robert, — The report [on the 

 Hunterian Museum] which you will hear to- 

 morrow is limited to the statement of the depart- 

 ment of the Physiological and Comparative Ana- 

 tomical Museum which requires increase ; and 

 of the extent of space which would be required 

 for the display of such a museum if it were 



