CHAPTER V 



THE REVOLT OF SCROPE AND LYELL AGAINST 



CATASTROPHISM 



THE year 1797, in which the illustrious Huttou 

 died, leaving behind him the noble fragments of 

 a monumental work, was signalised by the birth 

 of two men, who were destined to bring about the 

 overthrow of Catastrophism, and to establish, upon 

 the firm foundation of reasoned observation, the 

 despised doctrine of Uniformitariamsm or Evolution 

 as outlined by Generelli, Desmarest and Hutton. 

 These two men were George Poulett Thomson (who 

 afterwards took the name of Scrope) and Charles 

 Lyell. Both of them were, from their youth up- 

 wards, brought under the strongest influences of 

 the prevalent anti-evolutionary teachings ; but both 

 emancipated themselves from the effects of these 

 teachings, being led gradually by their geological 

 travels and observations, not only to reject their 

 early faith, but to become the champions of Evolution. 



j. E. 3 



