1824-33 
VISIT TO PARIS 
51 
of these two men has been compared with that of 
Turner and Claude in painting. Turner, it was 
^3-id, is independently great, though it is doubtful 
if without the works of Claude ‘ he would ever 
have painted that marvellous bit of cloud which 
hangs side by side with Claude’s chef chcBuvre 
iti the National Gallery.’ 
Richard Owen to Mr. Clift 
Hotel du Jardin du Roi : 
Rue Copen. No. 4, Paris. 
August 2, 1831. 
‘ My dear Sir, — My absence would assure you 
^hat I was in time for the steamer, having got on 
hoard ten minutes before she sailed ; she lay just 
below melancholy old London Bridge, and I saw 
'■he tents erected preparatory to the fete of her 
I'lval and prophetic of her own (fate !). I need 
iiot say how much I enjoyed the sail down the 
I'lver, or dwell on the interesting objects that suc- 
oessively presented themselves. When I passed 
the Deptford chalk I thought of you, but was too 
off to distinguish any fossil bones sticking out. 
'W'enty men-of-war lay off Sheerness. Just before 
Sunset, which was very fine, I saw a Delphinus 
^'^rsio ? rolling onwards to the Thames. The 
'ttoon produced a very fine effect as it rose out of 
^ Zuyder Zee, scattering a flood of light over 
^ flickering waves, whilst around it the haze 
appeared to reflect a glow of light like a distant 
