Page:Biographies of Scientific Men.djvu/123

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OWEN
89

circles, would imagine that the elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, bear, and other animals lived in England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe?

Owen in his Palæontology states that "more true turtles have left their remains in the London clay at the mouth of the Thames than are known to exist in the world." What a difference from to-day!

Concerning Owen's attitude towards Darwinism, it may be stated that Herbert Spencer was no strict Darwinian, for he remained, like Haeckel and others, a firm believer in Lamarckism.

Early in 1890 Sir Richard Owen was seized with a paralytic stroke, from which he never entirely recovered, but lingered on until 18th December 1892, when he passed peacefully away.

Speaking of his own work, he wrote to the author on 26th December 1887, as follows:—

Your kindly greetings are always welcome; they brighten declining years with failing strength. But bright gleams, as such are, enliven an old worker who can look back with some satisfaction. The sun is now shining in upon my writing-table on a pile of friendly letters that must be acknowledged by yours very truly, Richard Owen.

Owen would have been buried in Westminster Abbey if it had not been his wish to be laid in the same grave as his wife (who died on 7th May 1872). Both lie buried in Ham churchyard.