William Owen

“ Owen was twice married: first, about 1573, to Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of William Philipps of Picton, in Pembrokeshire, by whom he had ten children, the eldest son being Alban Owen, who succeeded his father as lord of Kemes in 1608, and took a prominent part in county affairs during the civil wars (Laws, Little England beyond Wales, pp. 321–3; Philipps, Civil Wars in Wales and the Marches, ii. 4, 85) . A collection of the arms of the London City companies, by Alban Owen, with his signature attached, is preserved in the Phillipps Library at Cheltenham (MS. 13140, No. 106) . ”

“ The date of his birth is generally given as 1540, but since Gruflydd Hiraethog, who was his bardic teacher, died in 1550, the date of 1530 is more probable (Cambrian Biography, p. 342, sub William Lleyn and G. ap Rhys, Llenyddiaeth Gymreig, p. 308 n.) Owen is always described as M.A., but where he graduated appears unknown. He was appointed vicar of Oswestry in 1683, and died there in 1587 (Thomas, Diocese of St. Asaph, p. 655) . ”

“ Owen, who is another of those proprietors and patentees of reform, has lately got an American savage with him, whom he carries about in great triumph and complacency, as an antithesis to his New View of Society, and as winding up his reasoning to what it mainly wanted, an epigrammatic point. Does the benevolent visionary of the Lanark cotton-mills really think this natural man will act as a foil to his artificial man? ”

“ Owen is the first philosopher we ever heard of, who recommended himself to the great by telling them disagreeable truths. A man that comes all the way from the banks of the Clyde acquires a projectile force that renders him irresistible. He has access, we understand, to the men in office, to the members of parliament, to lords and gentlemen. ”

“ The reason for this great promotion was assigned by some to his wife’s influence with the queen, by others to the favour of Lord Rochester, and on his death he was currently reported to have paid dear for the place. Among the Latin epigrams of John Owen is one (bk. vi. No. 20) to the effect that while the king committed to Carew the care of the wards, he showed himself to have a care for Carew's merits. In August 1612 he was a member of the commission for raising money for our soldiers in Denmark, and with that appointment his official life was over. ”

“ During the course of the Owenite socialist agitation his fine form, considerable knowledge, ready speech, and power of devising astonishing placards and proclamations made him a notable man. A boy whom he had adopted was publicly ‘named’ by Owen. He was believed to have amassed a fortune as a foreign spy, and his mysterious ways added to his reputation. For several years Baume resided in Manchester, where he organised Sunday lectures, but in 1857 he paid a visit to the Isle of Man, and was so pleased with the place that he took up his residence there in a house in the Archway, Douglas. ”

“ This gentleman lived the life of his time, and, dying in 1700 of much beer and many strong waters, left one son, Owen, a minor. What with executors and other evils, the estate now went from ill to worse. Owen Wynne 2d was in no haste, and thus married as late as somewhere about 1740, and had issue, William, and later, in 1744, a second son, Arthur, and perhaps others; but of all this I heard naught until many years after, as I have already said.
It may seem a weak and careless thing for a man thus to cast away his father’s lands as my ancestor did ”

“ Hence Owen found himself in a situation the duties of which were little more than nominal. Nothing could have served his purpose better. His indomitable industry was given full play in the directions for which his talents were best fitted, and with the magnificent material in the collections of the museum at his command, he set to work with great vigour upon a renewed series of researches, the results of which for many years taxed the resources of most of the scientific societies of London to publish. ”

“ OWEN, THANKFULL (1620–1681) , independent divine, son of Philip Owen of Taplow, Buckinghamshire, gentleman, was born in 1620, and was sent to St. Paul's school, when his father went to reside in London. He held an exhibition from St. Paul's to the university, 1637–50. He matriculated from Exeter College, Oxford, on 1 June 1636, graduated B.A. on 16 Jan. 1639–40, was elected fellow of Lincoln College in 1642, and proceeded M.A. July 1646. He was ‘remarkably preserued in his youth as he was swimming near Oxford, after he had sunk twice under water’ (Calamy, Nonconformist's Memorial, i. 181) . ”

“ Owen's career as a lecturer did not entirely cease with his connection with the College of Surgeons, as, by permission of the authorities of the Museum of Practical Geology in Jermyn Street, he gave several courses on the fossil remains of animals, open to the public, in the theatre of that institution; and he held in the years 1859, 1860, and 1861, in conjunction with his office at the British Museum, the Fullerian professorship of physiology in the Royal Institution. ”

“ Although Owen's method of double publication may have made his memoirs more accessible to specialists working at particular subjects, it has caused much confusion in determining the real dates of his discoveries and of their publication. For scientific purposes the original memoirs should always be consulted. ”

“ Wilberforce will have cut his connection. When we see Mr. Owen brought up for judgment before Lord Ellenborough, or standing in the pillory, we shall begin to think there is something in this New Lanark Scheme of his. On the other hand, if he confines himself to general principles, steering clear of practice, the result will be the same, if ever his principles become sufficiently known and admired. ”

“ The Royal College of Physicians conferred on him the Baly medal (for physiology) in 1869, and the Royal College of Surgeons its honorary gold medal in 1883. He was the first to receive the gold medal established by the Linnean Society at the centenary meeting of that body in 1888. The Royal Society, on the council of which he served for five separate periods, awarded him one of the royal medals in 1846, and the Copley medal in 1851.
A fine portrait of Owen as a young man, by Pickersgill, is reproduced as frontispiece to the ‘Life’ issued by his grandson, the Rev. Richard Owen, in 1894. ”

“ London, 4to, 1877–8. ‘Memoirs on the Extinct Wingless Birds of New Zealand, with an Appendix on those of England, Australia, Newfoundland, Mauritius, and Rodriguez,’ 2 vols. London, 4to, 1879. ‘Experimental Physiology; its Benefits to Mankind,’ London, 8vo, 1882. ‘Aspects of the Body in Vertebrates and Invertebrates,’ London, 8vo, 1883. A complete list of Owen's contributions to scientific journals; Remarks, Descriptions, Notes, Observations, Reviews, Reports, Catalogues, and Appendices is given in ‘The Life, by his Grandson’ (1894, ii. 333–86) . ”

“ John Owen (1616–1683) [q. v.] gave notice of Thankfull Owen's funeral, he said ‘that he had not left his fellow behind him for learning, religion, and good humour.’ ‘He was a man,’ says Calamy (i. 181) , ‘of genteel learning and an excellent temper ”

“ RHODES, FRANCIS WILLIAM (1851–1905) , colonel, elder brother of Cecil John Rhodes [see above] , born on 9 April 1851 at Bishop Stortford, entered Eton in 1865, where he was in the army class and in the cricket elevens of 1869 and 1870. After passing through Sandhurst he was gazetted lieutenant of the 1st royal dragoons in April 1873. He saw service in the Sudan as a member of the staff in 1884, and was present at the battles of El Teb and Tamai. ”

“ He looked white and wan, as he whispered softly, "There is 'no sorrow' with it, cousin Clarice, though the pain is so bad."
"Poor boy," she whispered, softly stroking his head, "I wish I could bear it for you. But Jesus knows, and He will help you through all."
"Oh, He does; He comforts me so. When I was all alone, He gave me such happy thoughts of going soon to be with Him and father."
"I hope you will not go yet awhile, Owen. But how were you alone in the night? I thought David was with you." ”

“ John Owen, D.D., the most eminent of Nonconformist divines in this country, was descended of a respectable family in North Wales, though born at Stadham, in Oxfordshire, in 1616, of which place his father, a native of Wales, was vicar. He was educated at Queen’s College, Oxford, where he was supported by a rich uncle, living in North Wales; but who, being a royalist, was offended at his nephew’s principles, and died without leaving him anything. On the breaking out of the civil war, he sided with the parliament, and became a Presbyterian in his religious opinions ”

“ A further benefaction was a technical school, which was opened in 1907, for the education of boys as skilled scientific mechanics. The school met with instant success, and Stanley subsequently presented the buildings to the public with an endowment valued at 50,000Z. In 1907 Stanley was made an honorary freeman of Croydon, and a clock tower was unveiled in South Norwood to commemorate his golden wedding. ”

“ A staunch liberal in politics, he supported John Bright in every election at Birmingham but refused many invitations to stand for parliament himself. He was a firm free trader, and remained loyal to Gladstone after the home rule split of 1886, keeping alive the principles of liberalism in the 'Daily Argus,' which he founded in association with Sir Hugh Gilzean Reid in 1891. He was knighted in 1894 on Lord Rosebery's recommendation. A member of the Birmingham town council from 1878 to 1882 and of the Smethwick school board, Tangye and his brothers were generous benefactors to the town. ”

“ He clutched at the bits of ashes, coal and pebbles which were falling through his fingers, the wealth which the Gods had lavished on him so prodigiously.
"Tell me," he cried hoarsely, "are your eyes not blinded by the brilliance of my stones?"
"My surprise at what you tell me is acute," I declared truthfully. "I can scarcely find words to express my thoughts."
"Don't try," said John Rust grandly. "The greatest rhetoricians the world has ever known have never invented words even to suggest their true magnificence. . . . . Nor is this treasure all I possess. I own the world! ”

“ Murdoch first came to England as a member of the first Australian eleven (captained by D. W. Gregory) which visited England in 1878. He owed his selection to his capacity as a wicket-keeper. During this tour he learned much in the art of batting, and became one of the leading batsmen of the world. He captained the Australian teams which visited England in 1880, 1882, 1884, and 1890, heading the Australian batting averages on each of these tours. ”

“ It is well known that our king and queen were beyond all others for royalty of look and ways, and I will venture to say that neither of the ealdormen had their equals, save in Nunna, anywhere. But it is not my word only, for it was a common saying, that Owen seemed most royal next to the king himself. Grave he always was, but with a ready smile and pleasant, in the right place, and though he was now about five-and-forty he had changed little to my eyes from what he was twelve years ago, when he saved me from the wolves. He was one of those men who age but slowly. ”

“ We workin' folks can't afford to lay up an' buy ourselves doctors' stuff."
"And how am I to get among the right class?" retorted Owen, sucking the ends of his moustache into his mouth and chewing them savagely. "A more confounded set of stuck-up, beggarly aristocrats I never met than your people here." His discontented eye rested on Mrs. Tourtel. "That Mrs. Pedvinn is the wife of Pedvinn the Jurat, I suppose?" - "Yes, de Pedvinns of Rohais." - "Good people," said Owen thoughtfully; in with the de Caterelles, and the Dadderney (d'Aldenois) set. "Are there children?" ”

“ Such a situation would have been difficult even for a born leader of men; but for Owen, whose gifts did not lie in that direction, it meant either resignation or acceptance of the inevitable. He chose the latter, and, dropping the sword of a despot, assumed the peaceful mantle of a constitutional sovereign. His reputation did good service to the collections in the way of attracting specimens of all kinds from all parts of the world ”

“ Owen was a gentle and reverent man, unassuming and unselfish in all his relations—a man of perfect courtesy of manners because of perfect courtesy of thought; a man whom everybody loved because his love went out to every one. He was the highest type of teacher, of naturalist, of scholar, of soldier even, because above all his was the highest type of man. [2]
↑ So far as I know, Dr. Richard Owen, of New Harmony, was not related to the famous comparative anatomist in London who bore the same name. ”

“ In spite of what he spent for the workers, Owen always made the business pay well. For several years beginning with 1815, he worked for the passage of Acts of Parliament beneficial to factory operatives. Becoming convinced that social reform could be best secured through communism, he bought from the Harmony Society a tract of thirty thousand acres, and the buildings of their settlement at New Harmony, Ind. The Harmony Society was prosperous but wished to change its location. Coming to America in the spring of 1825, he organized a community of about nine hundred persons on a provisional plan. ”

“ Of a very different nature to The Life of Owen is the article which Sir W. H. Flower has contributed to the Dictionary of National Biography. It is of necessity much compressed, but it contains all that is really essential for the proper comprehension of Owen’s scientific career, and praise and blame are meted out with calm impartiality. For ourselves, we have a sincere admiration for Owen, but an admiration which does not exclude a readiness to admit that he had defects. In what we are about to say we do not propose to draw a fancy portrait. ”