1857-59 THE PRINCE AND THE PROFESSOR 85 



Aberdeen. Bell-ringing, population cheering. 

 Convener, Provost, and I waited in the Hall to 

 receive the Prince and conduct him to the plat- 

 form. When he had sat down on my right hand, 

 I took the chair, and, silence being restored, rose 

 and spoke for a few minutes ; motioned H.R.H. 

 into the President's chair, and took his. ... I 

 send with this a copy of H.R.H.'s address. He 

 read it with good effect. We then re-conducted 

 him to his carriage, and all went off perfectly well 

 and quite to my satisfaction.' 



The Prince Consort, in the address referred 

 to, spoke of Owen in the following terms : — 



1 If it were possible for anything to make me 

 still more aware how much I stand in need of 

 your indulgence, it is the recollection of the 

 person whom I have to succeed as your President 

 — a man of whom this country is justly proud, 

 and whose name stands among the foremost of 

 the naturalists in Europe for his patience in 

 investigation, conscientiousness of observation, 

 boldness of imagination, and acuteness in reason- 

 ing. You have no doubt listened with pleasure 

 to his parting address, and I beg to thank him for 

 the flattering manner in which he has alluded to 

 me in it.' 



On the 20th Owen writes again to his wife : — 

 1 To-morrow (Wednesday) I go to Sir James 

 Clark's to dine and sleep, and next day to Bal- 

 moral, where Her Majesty gives a ddjeuner to the 



