1865-68 A RELIEF TO GLADSTONE 189 



had it entered much deeper. Frank Buckland 

 also gave evidence to the same effect. 



On December 16, 1868, Owen writes to his 

 sister Maria : '. . . I lately attended one of our 

 Club meetings, Marquis of Exeter in the chair. 

 . . . It must have been a relief to Gladstone to 

 have a quiet literary gossip without a bit of politics.' 



There were present on this occasion, according 

 to a plan of the table appended to the letter : 

 Duke of Argyll, Lord Romilly, Grote, Holland, 

 Walpole, Murchison, Twiselton, Reeve, Smith, 

 Lord Stanley, Lord Dufferin, Sir David Dundas, 

 the Lord Chancellor, and Earl Stanhope. 



