37 
1824-33 DEPARTURE FOR BIRMINGHAM 
Owen’s success would be to him, greatly interested 
himself in furthering his application for the Bir- 
'^ingham appointment. 
The first is a letter addressed to Joseph^ 
hlodgson, who was one of the officials connected 
^hh the Birmingham Hospital. 
Lincoln’s Inn Fields ; January 7, 1830. 
‘ My dear Sir,— The suddenness of Mr. 
Owen’s departure for Birmingham prevents me 
from writing you a long epistle on the occasion , 
and therefore, without further preface, I beg leave 
•^0 recommend him strongly to your good offices ; 
’'''hich, when you know him so well as I do, I 
fitmly believe you will not think ill bestowed. 
You will find him exceedingly well informed in all 
that relates to his profession, an excellent anato- 
mist, and sober and sedate very far beyond any 
young man I ever knew. If you succeed in de- 
priving me of his assistance you will do me a 
great disservice ; but if it is for his good I should 
he very sorry that you should think me so selfish 
as to wish him to remain here when he might, in 
sach situation as that to which he aspires, be so 
much more advantageously employed, both to his 
ewn advantage and that of your hospital institution, 
as being more suited to his talents and his inclina- 
dons than anything we have here to offer him as 
au inducement to stay. I can only add, if he suc- 
ceeds as he deserves, he cannot fail to do well ; he 
