14 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. 1. 
the letter was the impending appointment of 
Signor Panizzi to the post of Secretary and Prin- 
cipal Librarian to the Museum. “ I am glad of 
this,” writes Macaulay, “both on public and 
private grounds. Yet I fear that the appoint- 
ment will be unpopular both within and without 
the Museum. There is a growing jealousy 
among men of science which, between ourselves, 
appears even at the Board of Trustees. There 
is a notion that the Department of Natural 
History is neglected, and that the library and the 
sculpture galleries are unduly favoured. This 
feeling will certainly not be allayed by the 
appointment of Panizzi, whose great object, 
during many years, has been to make our library 
the best in Europe, and who would at any time 
give three mammoths for an Aldus.” ’ 
Macaulay then went on to propose that, 
simultaneously with Signor Panizzi’s nomination 
to the secretaryship. Professor Owen should be 
constituted Superintendent of the whole Depart- 
ment of Natural History, including geology, 
zoology, botany, and mineralogy. ‘ I cannot but 
think, he says, ‘ that this arrangement would be 
beneficial in the highest degree to the Museum. 
I am sure it would be popular. I must add that 
I am extremely desirous that something should 
be done for Owen. I hardly know him to speak 
to. His pursuits are not mine ; but his fame is 
spread over Europe. He is an honour to our 
