Feb. 13, 1858.] 
LIVINGSTONE FESTIVAL. 
139 
slothful, skulking, cruel beast of prey, —by no means the psychical 
compound we have delighted to associate with our national emblem. 
(Laughter.') Perhaps, however, I have a word of comfort for those 
who would still glorify its type. Species differ in habits. The 
British lion is not a mere heraldic monster, but was once a grim 
flesh-and-blood reality. 1 have had the satisfaction of determining 
that the Felis spelcea of our Yorkshire, Somersetshire, and Devonshire 
bone-caves was a veritable lion, surpassing in bulk, and with paws 
of twice the relative size, of those of the largest living lion of 
North or South Africa. The old British species has passed away — 
at least he now only shakes his mane and roars in metaphor (con- 
tinued laughter) ; but the extinct antetype may have possessed all the 
qualities which his most ardent admirer would have ascribed to him. 
(Cheers.) 
It is hard for the naturalist, when on his favourite topic, to for- 
bear gleaning from Livingstone’s full and rich storehouse of facts 
about buffaloes, rhinoceroses, elephants, and so forth. But the hour 
reminds me that time has fled apace — quickly because so pleasantly. 
Our excellent Chairman has pointedly adverted to one quality in 
Livingstone — his inflexible adherence to his word. (Cheers.) It is 
shown in small as well as great things. When, eighteen years ago, 
the young missionary was preparing himself for his task, he devoted 
part of his short leisure in London to studying the series of compa- 
rative anatomy in the Hunterian Museum, then under my charge. 
On taking leave of me he promised to bear me in mind if any parti- 
cular curiosity fell in his way. Such an one did in the course of 
his Zambesi travels — the tusk of an elephant with a spiral curve. 
It was a heavy one ; and you may recall the difficulties of the pro- 
gress of the weak, sick traveller, on the bullock’s back. Every 
pound weight was of moment ; but Livingstone said, “ Owen shall 
have this tusk,” and he placed it in my hands in London. (Loud 
cheers.) 
In the perusal of the Missionary’s Travels it is impossible not to 
infer the previous training of a strong and original mind richly and 
variously stored ; not otherwise could science have been enriched 
by such precious records of wanderings in a previously untrod field 
of discovery. Our honoured guest may feel assured that whilst the 
cultivators of science yield to no class of minds in their appreciation 
and reverence of his dauntless dissemination of that higher wisdom 
which is not of this world, such feelings enhance their sense of 
obligation for his co-operation in the advancement of that lower 
wisdom which our great poet defines as “ resting in the contempla- 
tion of natural causes and dimensions.” (Applause.) 
VOL. II. 
M 
