270 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. IX. 



medallions and miniatures of various men — 

 Newton, Cuvier, John Hunter, William Clift, 

 Joseph Banks, and others — as well as oil-paintings 

 of John Hunter and Oliver Cromwell. 



In this room he would sometimes sit for hours, 

 looking out wistfully at the park view, the little 

 piece of water with the two old oaks by its side, 

 the wide expanse of green, and the dark back- 

 ground of trees. 



His favourite library companion was a little 

 black and white Persian cat. He was always fond 

 of cats, and his last intelligible words were spoken 

 to this animal, which was with him to the hour of 

 his death. 



In the early morning of his last birthday (July 

 20, 1892), the tree which he admired more than 

 any in the garden — the Gleditschia — fell down with 

 a crash, leaving only part of the trunk and a few 

 branches, although there was little or no wind at 

 the time. 



By a curious coincidence, on that day Sir 

 Richard showed marked symptoms of failing 

 strength. But as he did not feel positively ill, 

 and was in very good spirits, no particular alarm 

 was felt. It was not till the end of August that 

 any anxiety was felt at his symptoms, and Dr. 

 Palmer, of East Sheen, who visited him con- 

 tinuously with unfailing kindness and considera- 

 tion to the end, was called in. 



On August 25, Dr. Palmer writes : ' I found 



