1850-51 
HIS ELOCUTION 
371 
gone into details of which the many could not 
sufficiently see the bearing, and at other times you 
have been too technical. Everyone last night 
felt that such was not the case, and when I re- 
marked to Colonel Reid that no one of the ladies 
could ever have been even alarmed when you 
were propounding so many novel theories of re- 
production, he said : “ The delicacy with which he 
treated those subjects was as remarkable as any 
other excellence in the whole discourse.” I was 
afraid, as your voice was just at the proper pitch 
for me who sat near, that the distant auditors must 
have lost some, but Dr. Roget, who was much 
farther off, told me that you were “ distinct and 
space-penetrating and Sir C. Fellowes said he 
watched the remoter parts of the room and ob- 
served that they were never talking — a clear proof 
that they heard. 
‘ Lady Cullum brought me home last night, 
and when she was expressing her delight at the 
lecture 1 told her how glad I was I had not dined 
at Shrublands, and that I had fairly said to Sir 
W. Middleton that I could not give up Owen’s 
lecture for his dinner, and that Airy had done the 
same. She observed : “ I wish more independence 
of this kind had been shown by scientific men.” 
What good can you do if our country gentlemen 
here can derange all the week your most impor- 
tant proceedings. . . . ? ' 
At Lockhart’s request Owen wrote the review 
B B 2 
