338 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. X. 
“King Lear” was patted on the back by Lord 
Carlisle, and after a little critical chat on one 
of Turner’s peculiarities, moved on. Looking 
next at a group of fawns by Edwin Landseer, 
someone pushed past my elbow, and who should 
it be but the old Duke of Wellington: a stiff bow, 
and on he marched, all military upright to the 
shoulders, and then the reverend old head pokes 
forward at an obtuse angle ; the large silver buckle 
of the stiff white stock shining at the nape, above 
the collar of the blue coat with its bright gold 
buttons and shining star. The crimson sash 
across the white waistcoat, black pantaloons and 
shining boots. Looking better, I think, than last 
year, and quite enjoying the pictures. After his 
Grace had passed I followed quietly in his wake ; 
but was soon arrested by the Duke of Northum- 
berland, who had invited me a month or two ago 
to the North, and repeated his hospitable wishes. 
Some badinage about the sea-serpent ,(I shall 
never hear the last of that), and then came tripping 
along my Lord Brougham : a civil salute, but he 
evidently forgot to whom. In three minutes, 
however, he came back again, and plunged at once 
into the mysteries of “ Parthenogenesis,” about 
which the world is beginning to talk, as the subject 
of my “ Lectures” oozes out in conversation. Lord 
Monteagle and then Lord Stanley, and then the 
Chief Baron Pollock, and then little Lord John 
[Russell], as sharp as a sparrow-hawk, and the 
