356 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. XI. 
vital importance were visibly staggered by this 
plausible attempt to make a show of doing some- 
thing and of making improvements, when the 
only right course is to improve the whole thing 
away. R. sat there boiling with indignation, till 
his turn came to give his opinion, and then he 
gave forth his protest against this new proposal 
in unmistakable language. This set the Commis- 
sioners wavering back again. He left them un- 
decided.’ 
‘ March 5. — This time R. returned from the 
Smithfield Commission with the hope that things 
were going right at last. It is evident that his 
1 ast speech has produced a stronger reaction than 
he expected. It seems an obvious piece of stu- 
pidity to meet a reform by a proposal to perpetuate 
and increase the nuisance at an enormous outlay 
of money.’ 
Owen’s course of Hunterian Lectures this year 
was ‘ On the Generation and Development of 
Vertebrate Animals, with Prefatory Remarks on 
Vertebrae.’ He notes in his diary that Hallam 
was a constant attendant at these lectures, and he 
also adds : ‘ I could give the Bishop of Oxford a 
certificate for most regular attendance.’ 
Owen’s recreations during this course of 
lectures were visits to the theatre and the Zoo- 
logical Gardens. He went twice to see Parodi 
as Medea, and notes a piece of by-play which 
was not much to that lady’s credit. ‘ In the bridal 
