1848-49 FARADAY TOO ILL TO LECTURE 337 



got there just before three, and there was a crowded 

 audience, as usual, to hear Faraday's lecture. The 

 poor man entered and attempted to speak, but he 

 was suffering from inflammation or excessive 

 irritation of the larynx, and after some painful 

 efforts to speak, a general cry arose of " Postpone," 

 and someone, apparently in authority, made a short 

 speech from the gallery. Mr. Faraday still wished 

 to try and force his voice, saying that he was well 

 aware of the difficulty of getting back the carriages, 

 &c, before the time for the lecture had elapsed, 

 to say nothing of the disappointment to some ; but 

 every moment the cry increased, " No, no ; you 

 are too valuable to be allowed to injure yourself. 

 Postpone, postpone." Poor Faraday was quite 

 overcome.' 



In May 1849 Owen attended the Royal Aca- 

 demy dinner, of which, in writing to his sister Eliza, 

 he gives the following account, showing how 

 thoroughly he enjoyed any recreation, of what- 

 ever nature it might be : 'I got to Trafalgar 

 Square,' he writes, ' then penetrated the line of 

 police, received my catalogue, and was soon in 

 the midst of the artists, their guests, and their 

 beautiful works. Pushed on from one friendly 

 greeter to another till I got into the last great 

 room, where the dinner is laid out, and Baily 

 the sculptor having pointed out my place, I 

 began to make the tour of the " Tableaux." 

 Whilst scrutinising Herbert's masterpiece from 



vol. 1. z 



