39o PROFESSOR OWEN ch. xn. 



fectly overwhelmed me with delight by telling me 

 you had intimated to him that you might some- 

 times find leisure to write some familiar papers 

 on Natural History, yourself, for this journal 

 [" Household Words "]. 



* It would be in vain for me to attempt to tell 

 you with what pride and pleasure I should receive 

 such assistance, or what high store I should set 

 by it. If you will give me such gratification and 

 render the work such a service, you can't (I must 

 honestly say) enhance the regard and respect in 

 which I hold you already, but you can and will 

 afford me inexpressible satisfaction. 

 ' Believe me ever, 



' Very faithfully yours, 



' Charles Dickens.' 



On the 28th of this month Dickens came with 

 his wife and sister-in-law to Sheen Lodge. An 

 account of this visit is given in the diary : — 



' October 28. — Mr. Forster travelled down 

 frcm town with R., and at about half-past five 

 Charles Dickens with his wife and her sister (Miss 

 Hogarth) came. Dickens was very cheerful in 

 spite of a bad cold, and I believe enjoyed himself 

 exceedingly. He was much struck with the pic- 

 turesque appearance of the cottage, and admired 

 some of our old furniture. After dinner we had 

 some music. Played Corelli with R. C. D. said 

 the Corelli carried him back to his youthful days, 



