1833-36 
LETTER TO MISS CLIFT 
83 
with my own feelings and enjoyment of them gives 
me double pleasure in attempting to communicate 
to you what I can scarcely find words to express. 
. . . I have no water colours with me, or I would 
have painted a group [of flowers] which I amused 
myself with composing. ... I have attempted 
some sketches with the camera lucida, which 
answers the purpose of giving a correct outline 
very well.’ He describes his tour to Ambleside, 
Rosthwaite, the Langdales, and Red Pike, and, 
referring to his endeavour to find a safe descent, 
says : " Facilis descensus is Virgil’s expression under 
circumstances somewhat analogous, but he was 
evidently no Highlander.’ Describing a somewhat 
difficult descent, he writes : ‘ I confess at one 
time the sight of a carrion crow winging its way 
far below me led me to a serious speculation 
on the probabilities of his having a meal upon 
the carcass of an unfortunate anatomist.’ He 
refers again to the wish that Miss Clift shall visit 
Lancaster, as his ‘ mother is particularly anxious 
to see you ; she is visibly aged, but in good 
health.’ 
On his journey back to London, Owen visited 
Derby, and from there writes to Clift, August 2 1 , 
1834: ‘I have visited the Infirmary, and seen 
their plan of mending broken legs without splints, 
and afterwards went to the china factory and saw 
the process of the reparation of broken plates. 
Jones and I travelled from Liverpool to Man- 
