1848-49 FARADAY TOO ILL TO LECTURE 337 
got there just before three, and there was a crowded 
audience, as usual, to hear Faraday’s lecture. The 
poor man entered and attempted to speak, but he 
was suffering from inflammation or excessive 
irritation of the larynx, and after some painful 
efforts to speak, a general cry arose of “ Postpone,” 
and someone, apparently in authority, made a short 
speech from the gallery. Mr. Faraday still wished 
to try and force his voice, saying that he was well 
aware of the difficulty of getting back the carriages, 
&c., before the time for the lecture had elapsed, 
to say nothing of the disappointment to some ; but 
every moment the cry increased, “No, no ; you 
are too valuable to be allowed to injure yourself. 
Postpone, postpone.” Poor Faraday was quite 
overcome.’ 
In May 1849 Owen attended the Royal Aca- 
demy dinner, of which, in writing to his sister Eliza, 
he gives the following account, showing how 
thoroughly he enjoyed any recreation, of what- 
ever nature it might be : ‘I got to Trafalgar 
Square,’ he writes, ‘ then penetrated the line of 
police, received my catalogue, and was soon in 
the midst of the artists, their guests, and their 
beautiful works. Pushed on from one friendly 
greeter to another till I got into the last great 
room, where the dinner is laid out, and Baily 
the sculptor having pointed out my place, I 
began to make the tour of the “Tableaux.” 
Whilst scrutinising Herbert’s masterpiece from 
z 
VOL. I. 
