378 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. xi. 



the brightest spots in this wonderful year. This 

 morning I received a letter from Baron Humboldt 

 informing me that the King of Prussia had made 

 me " Knight of the Order of Merit " in the place 

 of the famous Danish philosopher Oerstedt. . . . 

 Sister Catherine will look at all this lecturing, and 

 medal-getting, and foreign orders of knighthood 

 from the utilitarian point of view, and, I fear, will 

 not fully sympathise with my feelings in giving 

 knowledge and receiving honours ; but now comes 

 the " solid pudding." I quote the letter addressed 

 to me, with C. B. Phipps in the corner, and the 

 Queen's arms in black wax : — 



" Osborne : December 13, 185 1. 



' " My dear Sir, — I have been commanded by 

 the Queen to inform you that, a house upon Kew 

 Green having become vacant by the death of the 

 late King of Hanover, Her Majesty is happy in 

 being able to offer this house as a residence for 

 you. 



' " The Queen commands me to say that she 

 thinks that there is no method in which she can 

 better give a tribute of her respect and regard for 

 science than by thus meeting what she believes to 

 be the almost necessary convenience of one of its 

 chief ornaments and most distinguished members. 



' " The house will require some alterations, and 

 a part which is unfit for repair will have to be pulled 

 down, but it will still form a commodious residence, 



