78 THE COMING [CH. 



questions with Lyell will recognise the truth of the 

 portrait drawn of his old friend by Darwin, about a 

 year before his own death. 

 He says : 



'His mind was characterised, as it appeared to me, by 

 clearness, caution, sound judgment, and a good deal of originality. 

 When I made a remark to him on Geology, he never rested until 

 he saw the whole case clearly, and often made me see it more 

 clearly than I had done before.' 



And he sums up his admiration of the ' dear old 

 master ' in the words 



'The science of Geology is enormously indebted to Lyell 

 more so, as I believe, than to any other man who ever lived 73 .' 



Alfred Russel Wallace is scarcely less emphatic 

 than Charles Darwin himself in his expression of 

 affection and admiration for Lyell, and his indebted- 

 ness to the Principles of Geology. 



In his Autobiography, Wallace writes : 



'With Sir Charles I soon felt at home, owing to his refined 

 and gentle manners, his fund of quiet humour, and his intense 

 love and extensive knowledge of natural science. His great 

 liberality of thought and wide general interests were also 

 attractive to me ; and although when he had once arrived at a 

 definite conclusion, he held by it very tenaciously until a con- 

 siderable body of well-ascertained facts could be adduced against 

 it, yet he was always willing to listen to the arguments of his 

 opponents, and to give them careful and repeated considera- 

 tion.' 



