150 THE COMING [CH. 



and much valuable aid, from the Principles of 

 Geology j and its gifted author, yet Lyell, with all his 

 clearness of vision, logical faculty and literary skill, 

 did not possess the strong faith and resolute cour- 

 age to say nothing of that wonderful tenacity of 

 purpose and power of research which were such 

 striking characteristics of Darwin which would have 

 enabled him to do for the organic what he did for 

 the inorganic world. If it be true, as Darwin used 

 to suggest, that the Origin of Species might never 

 have been written had not Lyell first produced the 

 Principles of Geology, I believe it is no less certain 

 that the crowning of LyelTs great edifice, by the 

 full application of his principles to the world of living 

 beings, could only have been accomplished by a man 

 possessing, in unique combination, the powers of 

 observation, experiment, reasoning and criticism, 

 joined to unswerving determination, which distin- 

 guished Darwin. 



Starting from Lyell's most advanced post, Darwin 

 boldly advanced into regions in which his friend was 

 unable to lead, and indeed long hesitated to follow. 

 Together, for nearly forty years, the two men 

 influencing one another ' as iron sharpeneth iron ' 

 thought and communed and worked, aided at all 

 times by the wide knowledge and judicious criticism 

 of the sagacious Hooker; and together the fame of 

 these men will go down to posterity. 



