260 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. ix. 



in peace," for mine eyes had seen their sal- 

 vation.' 



On January 5, 1884, Professor Owen was 

 gazetted K.C.B. on his retirement from the 

 Museum ; on Mr. Gladstone's initiative, his pen- 

 sion was supplemented by 100/. annually. 



A few words will suffice to tell the story of 

 the remaining years of his life. 



After the death of his only son In 1886, shortly 

 followed by that of his sole remaining sister, his 

 eldest grandson lived with him at Sheen Lodge 

 until 1889, when his daughter-in-law and the 

 rest of her children came also to reside there. 

 The Professor occupied his time chiefly with his 

 correspondence and in reading. He would read 

 anything that came to hand, from the latest 

 scientific work that was sent him to the ' Queen ' 

 newspaper, which journal was a source of unfail- 

 ing amusement to him, owing to the numerous 

 advertisements of hair-dyes, washes for the 

 complexion, and the ' anatomical impossibilities/ 

 as he called the ladies of the fashion-plates. 



Two red-letter days in the year were Christ- 

 mas Day and his birthday, July 20. On these 

 occasions a few old friends, up to the last, came 

 to keep the feast. Prominent amongst these 

 was Mr. R. D. Blackmore, whose novels, one of 

 which is dedicated to the Professor, occupied an 

 honoured place in his well-filled library. 



A keen chess-player himself, Sir Richard was 



