22 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. i. 



out delay. . . . Have you thought of the ' Swiney 

 Professorship ? ' It is just the occupation or 

 amusement that would suit you, and do you good. 

 ' I was glad to hear from old Kaup, one of the 

 worthiest of men. 



' Ever yours, 



' Richard Owen.' 



On November 28 Owen writes to his sisters 

 to tell them of the death of an old friend, and 

 continues : — 



' Yesterday, singularly enough, I was an hour 

 by the sick bed of another friend, at his special 

 request — Lord Ellesmere. I fear he has not the 

 strength to fight through his present attack. The 

 Duke of Argyll called on me to acquaint me with 

 Lord Ellesmere' s illness, and to tell me that he 

 had expressed a wish to see me. I went directly 

 after Museum hours to Bridgewater House, and 

 was immediately admitted on sending in my card. 

 The half-lit halls looked like dark unexplored 

 caverns ; the noble owner of all on a pallet in a 

 small closet-like room, which seemed like a recess 

 on one side. His fine features and expressive 

 eyes bespoke sickness and suffering. I talked on 

 a variety of topics, with intervals of quiet, until 

 the Duchess of Sutherland and the Duchess of 

 Arygll entered. . . . That morning (yesterday) 

 I breakfasted with Mr. Henry Taylor, and met 

 Lord Monteagle and a very interesting party. . . . 



