26 o 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. IX. 
in peace,” for mine eyes had seen their sal- 
vation.’ 
On January 5, 1884, Professor Owen was 
gazetted K.C.B. on his retirement from the 
Museum ; on Mr. Gladstone’s initiative, his pen- 
sion was supplemented by 100/. annually. 
A few words will suffice to tell the story of 
the remaining years of his life. 
After the death of his only son in 1886, shortly 
followed by that of his sole remaining sister, his 
eldest grandson lived with him at Sheen Lodge 
until 1889, when his daughter-in-law and the 
rest of her children came also to reside there. 
The Professor occupied his time chiefly with his 
correspondence and in reading. He would read 
anything that came to hand, from the latest 
scientific work that was sent him to the ‘ Queen ’ 
newspaper, which journal was a source of unfail- 
ing amusement to him, owing to the numerous 
advertisements of hair-dyes, washes for the 
complexion, and the ‘anatomical impossibilities,’ 
as he called the ladies of the fashion-plates. 
Two red-letter days in the year were Christ- 
mas Day and his birthday, July 20. On these 
occasions a few old friends, up to the last, came 
to keep the feast. Prominent amongst these 
was Mr. R. D. Blackmore, whose novels, one of 
which is dedicated to the Professor, occupied an 
honoured place in his well-filled library. 
A keen chess-player himself. Sir Richard was 
