1837-38 CORRESPONDENCE WITH SIR G. GREY 117 
windows after the demise of his late most gracious 
Majesty and Patron of the College, and also wore 
mourning no less becoming to herself than to the 
melancholy occasion. Fifthly, Mrs. O.’s kitchen 
chimney still smokes, contrary to the directions 
of the late Chairman of the Board and the wishes 
of the Trustees. 1 cannot get on ; it’s no use ... . 
And my pen is most obstinate ; and what exceeds 
the perversity of a steel pen ? ’ 
He returned to the College of Surgeons early 
in August. From a friendly letter which he 
received at this time from (Sir) George Grey, 
written from Teneriffe, he hears that the skull of 
a guancho (an aboriginal of the Canary Islands) 
will be sent to him in due course for his museum 
at the College of Surgeons. Owen’s correspon- 
dence with Grey was intermittent ; but the latter 
was apparently always on the look-out for speci- 
mens, and nearly every letter from him contains 
the mention of something he was sending. 
At the beginning of September Owen was 
made a member of the Imperial Academy of 
Sciences at Moscow. 
Amongst other notices in the journal relative 
to his occupation and amusements during this 
month may be mentioned the following : — 
‘Went to hear Mendelssohn’s “St. Paul’ at 
the Exeter Hall. The Birmingham people will 
not allow him to conduct personally. The ciowd 
was enormous, but we got good seats in the 
