26 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. i. 



first, from contact, as far as the crowd permitted ! 

 But when the rumour began to buzz abroad that it 

 was Dr. and Mrs. Livingstone — then at the acme 

 of their lion-hood, especially with the Church 

 party, through Lord Shaftesbury's speech the day 

 before — what a change came over the scene ! It 

 was which of the scornful dames could first get 

 introduced to Professor O., to be introduced to 

 Mrs. L. ; and the photographs were comparatively 

 deserted for the dusky strangers.' 



Owen had several tales of similar discomfiture, 

 which he would often relate with the greatest 

 delight and amusement. 



The last lecture which he gave this year was on 

 ' Ivory and Teeth of Commerce,' and was delivered 

 at the Society of Arts on December 19. 



On December 29, 1856, Owen writes to his 

 friend John Murray on the subject of an article on 



I Parthenogenesis ' for the ' Quarterly Review,' in 

 the course of which letter he remarks : ' The first 

 question is whether your estimable editor of the 



II Quarterly " or yourself would regard the details of 

 the reproductive economy and apparatus of a Rose 

 and a Bee as equally producible in respectable 

 society. . . . The facts bearing upon this myste- 

 rious power of virgin-procreativeness are now so 

 numerous and varied as to form an important body 

 of physiological doctrine, of which the " Quarterly " 

 ought to take cognizance without squeamishness. 



