1848-49 CHARTIST RIOTS 321 



windows shut and barricaded with the toughest 

 matter they could think of — heaps of Blue-books. 

 Meanwhile Mr. Pentland came in. He has been 

 to the Deanery, where he says Dr. Buckland is 

 very busy preparing for any demonstration on the 

 part of the mob, enrolling special constables, &c. 

 The Dean says (according to Mr. P.) that if they 

 should attempt the Abbey by Poet's Corner he 

 himself will stand and knock down everyone as 

 he enters with a crowbar. Now that the bear is 

 gone, the eagle is the chief pet there. There are 

 likewise tortoises in the yard, and they lead a sad 

 life from the eagle, who is in the habit of testing 

 the hardness of their shells with his beak and 

 claws.' 



In April, Owen wrote a long letter to his 

 sister Eliza, descriptive of the progress of his 

 Hunterian Lectures at the College. He says : — 



' I had imagined that the views were too 

 general for the extent of subject embraced for an 

 anatomical audience, and I was pleased to hear 

 our President, who was complimenting me this 

 morning, regret that he could not quite follow all 

 the mimtte details which passed with me for the 

 broad outlines of the sketch. It only shows how 

 differently the lecturer and audience are situated, 

 and how necessary it is to address oneself to the 

 least informed.' He then refers to his sanitary 

 work, and says : ' If I could bear to quit my clear 

 anatomy, more profitable Commissionerships might 



vol. 1. Y 



