56 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. II. 



kind, retaining his old propensities, but checked 

 in a crowded country and in the meanwhile 

 stealing bright objects to right and left, in hope 

 times may mend in that respect ! These and 

 the like of these seem to me eminently beautiful 

 indications. 



' And in short my opinion is, if the said pleading 

 Professor would gather himself steadily about such 

 a thing, and devote his whole soul to it for a few 

 years, he might write, to be read by the like of me 

 who am exoteric altogether — say in two vols, with 

 portraits (for it ought to be very brief, and distilled 

 to the utmost) — such a book of Natural History 

 as was never written before ! which would far 

 outshine the biggest museum even the British 

 nation could build, and might a long time outlive 

 such — done by one's own right hand and head, 

 independent of committees ! I am quite serious ; 

 more so than you think. 



' Yours always, 



' T. Carlyle.' 



September 15, 1862. 



Lovell Reeve, the conchologist, says, June 

 1S63:- 



' . . . I hope we may yet live to see your 

 grand scheme, of what a national museum ought 

 to be, carried out. I quite dread the ultimate 

 destination of Mr. Cumming's collection [of shells], 

 unless more space and supervision are provided 

 for its reception. Mr. Cumming has, unfortunately, 



