232 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. VII. 
the rest soon followed. We had a very gracious 
reception, and I had time for a little conversation 
with Lady Peel. . . . About ten minutes to eight 
a servant came and whispered to Sir Robert, who 
then left the drawing-room with Lady Peel, and 
soon returned walking backwards into the room 
followed by the King and his suite. We fell into 
a large semicircle, and Sir Robert introduced us 
one by one to the King. He addressed a few 
words in French to each. He told me how much 
his physician. Dr. Cams, had been gratified by 
my attentions at the museum, and I replied by 
observing on the high value which we placed 
upon Carus’s discoveries. ... We broke into 
smaller groups, I soon joining Cams, who was 
introduced by his desire to Buckland. . . . 
Sydney Smith and Buckland soon began to grow 
jocular, and opened on me about the big-bird. 
“Ah!” said S. S., with reference to some re- 
mark on my joy at the safe arrival of the box 
from New Zealand, “that was Owen’s magmiw 
bomi 7 nr . . . The evening company had begun 
to assemble, and the rooms were soon filled by 
all the names in science and art. I saw Edwin 
Landseer, Eastlake, and Sir J. Rennie. . . .’ 
The following extracts from the journal may 
serve as examples of Owen’s ordinary occupations 
at this time ; — 
' March 14. — R. at the day meeting of the 
Royal Society. Enlivened the evening when he 
