1852-54 
‘HOME, SWEET HOME 
389 
care-marked, dark-eyed, rather bilious-looking 
young man, with spectacles ; middle height, and 
rather thin.’ 
This year Owen attended, as he usually did, 
the meeting of the British Association, which was 
held in Belfast. Previous to the meeting, in the 
middle of August, he was the guest of Lord 
Enniskillen. He returned home, as he writes to 
his sister, ‘ by way of Holyhead, and landed at 
Euston Station at 5 a.m. Went by the first train to 
Mortlake and then “ Home, sweet Home,” where 
I arrived this morning (Friday, September 17), to 
breakfast. I found on looking at my thermometer 
on my arrival that it had fallen here last night to 
freezing point. Nevertheless, all looks beautifully 
well in the garden. The Gleditschia has begun to 
add a slight yellow to its charms. The Althaeas 
are in magnificent bloom — five of them. One of 
a rich rosy hue has the buds particularly beauti- 
ful. The flower-beds on the lawn are as brilliant 
as ever. Honeysuckles and verbenas in full blow.’ 
In the autumn of this year Owen began a 
series of zoological articles for Charles Dickens s 
magazine ‘ Household Words.’ Forster made 
the suggestion in the first instance, and Dickens 
wrote Owen the following letter on the subject . 
Oct. 19, 1852. 
‘ My dear Owen, — I am just home again for 
the winter, and saw Forster last night. He per- 
