PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. V. 
136 
On^ February 26, 1863, Owen writes to his 
sister Eliza a long account of the first Levee held 
by the Prince of Wales, and says : ‘ His Royal 
Highness had a severe taste of that part of his 
future duties ; 1,000 presentations ! ... It was 
the most crowded ever known, and I was lucky 
to escape with no other loss than a shoe-buckle. 
... I met the American Minister and Mrs. and 
Miss Adams, Mr. Bates and M. and Madame 
Goldschmidt at Mr. Stuart-Wortley’s at Sheen 
last Saturday. The etiquette is not to ask Jenny 
to sing ; but she kindly proposed it after dinner : 
began with “ My mother bids me bind my hair,” 
and ended with a glorious solo from the “ Messiah,” 
singing four pieces to perfection, her husband 
accompanying.’ 
Another entry in the diary refers to the great 
singer. When Jenny Lind was coming out of 
church on a cold day in the very early spring, she 
expressed her annoyance at the way in which 
people stared at her, whenever she opened her 
mouth, and said ; ‘ I think I will never sing again 
in church.’ ‘ I told her,’ writes Mrs. Owen. ‘ thtt it 
was only natural, and that I had a friend staying 
with me to whom it was a great disappointmen't 
that she was too ill to come and see her to-day. 
Jenny, who evidently felt that the cold had given 
a tinge to her nose, said : “ My clear Mrs. Owen, 
tell her of my itosc, and that will be quite enough. 
Pell her, if you like, that I am a very ugly woman ! ” 
