1855-56 MEETS CARDINAL WISEMAN 23 



London is the place, after all, for interchange of 

 thought.' 



In this month Owen ' met Cardinal Wiseman 

 at a dinner party at a neighbour's house.' 

 In a letter to his sisters he says : — 

 ' The Cardinal was attended by two priests, 

 and there were two or three others of different 

 rank, including the pastor of their small chapel at 

 Mortlake. A very handsome dinner : about half 

 a dozen ladies. The Cardinal astounded me by 

 his attire ; it was a spectacle to behold, and, as you 

 know I was always fond of scarlet, it was quite 

 pleasant to have his Eminence opposite me at 

 the table. He wore a close-fitting Eastern tunic 

 and tights, of purple edged with crimson, fitting 

 close to the throat and at the wrists, Turkish 

 fashion ; short lace ruffles at the wrist, a close 

 white stock round the neck, covered by the ribbon 

 of an Order. Below the tights appeared the crim- 

 son silk stockings, shoes, and large rich buckles. 

 Over his dress he wore a rich stiff crimson cloak, 

 with a broad embroidered margin, without sleeves, 

 attached round the neck by a broad embroidered 

 band. A large jewelled gold cross was suspended 

 by a long enamelled chain, and rested on his com- 

 fortably prominent stomach. On his crown was 

 a shallow round scarlet skull-cap. He made an 

 excellent dinner ; contrasting it, however, with 

 one he had assisted at, at the Bishop of Malines', 

 in his route through Belgium, and which lasted 



