82 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. in. 



audiences,' he writes to his sister, 'at both 

 Albemarle Street and Jermyn Street. Thacke- 

 ray told me the other day that "two young ladies 

 (I suppose his daughters) were among my great 

 admirers." ' 



He also delivered in 1859 the * Rede' lecture 

 at Cambridge. He gave this lecture, which 

 was on ' The Classification of Mammalia,' on 

 May 10. and afterwards received the degree of 

 LL.D., the first honorary degree given by that 

 University. 



' I went to Cambridge last Monday,' he writes 

 to his sister Catherine, ' to fulfil my duties as 

 " Sir Robert Rede's Lecturer " in that Uni- 

 versity. . . . Next day I gave my lecture at 

 2 p.m. in the Senate House, before the Vice- 

 Chancellor and University. . . .Wednesday I 

 had a long morning's work in the Anatomical and 

 Woodwardian Museums, with Professor Clark 

 and others. ... As the new constitution and 

 statutes of Cambridge now give the Senate the 

 power of conferring honorary degrees, a special 

 grace was passed for meeting on Thursday to 

 confer the first they have given on me ; and mine 

 is the first name in the book prepared for the 

 record of those so honoured. ... I was arrayed 

 in a scarlet robe and cap, led by the public orator 

 to the middle of the hall, addressed by him in a 

 Latin oration, then conducted to the Vice- 

 Chancellor's throne ; knelt down, placing my 



