1857-59 'SCENES FROM CLERICAL LIFE' 63 



little thought what it was to write a book when 

 he. began ! ' In the autumn, after the book was 

 published, he notes : ' Livingstone's book has 

 already gone through seven editions, and I am 

 glad to hear that he has cleared something by it.' 



Early this year the French Academy awarded 

 to Owen the ' Prix Cuvier,' an honour to which he 

 attached the greatest importance. 



About this time he again suffered much from 

 overworking his eyes. Mrs. Owen notes : * Mr. 

 White Cooper came over without delay, and was 

 much concerned at the appearance of the right 

 eye. He told me that if it had been neglected 

 much longer it might have been too late to save 

 it.' However, by avoiding night- work and spar- 

 ing his eyes as much as possible, it was not long 

 before Owen could reyert to the accustomed use 

 of them. 



Strangely enough, the authorship of ' Scenes 

 from Clerical Life ' (which was at first published 

 anonymously), was at this time attributed to him. 

 On April 4 there is this entry in the journal : 

 'An interesting note from Mr. John Blackwood 

 to R. He says that, while he was lodging in 

 Jermyn Street, he happened to be out one day 

 when R. called. His brother was in, but, as R. 

 was in rather a hurry, he left his card, after a 

 short conversation, and went away. When Mr. 

 Blackwood came back his brother said : " I am 

 sorry you were not in. Professor Owen has been 



