vii] OF EVOLUTION 73 



work is seen, however, in the undoubted fact that it 

 inspired the men, who became the leaders in the 

 revolution of thought which took place a quarter of 

 a century later in respect to the organic world. 

 Were I to assert that if the Principles of Geology 

 had not been written, we should never have had the 

 Origin of Species, I think I should not be going too 

 far: at all events, I can safely assert, from several 

 conversations I had with Darwin, that he would have 

 most unhesitatingly agreed in that opinion. 



Darwin's devotion to his 'dear master* as he 

 used to call Lyell, was of the most touching character, 

 and it was prominently manifested in all his geological 

 conversations. In his books and in his letters he 

 never failed to express his deep indebtedness to his 

 'own true love' as he called the Principles of 

 Geology. In what was Darwin's own most favourite 

 work, the Narrative of the Voyage of the Beagle, he 

 wrote 'To Charles Lyell, Esq., F.R.S., this second 

 edition is dedicated with grateful pleasure, as an 

 acknowledgment that the chief part of whatever 

 scientific merit this Journal and the other works of 

 the author may possess, has been derived from study- 

 ing the well-known, admirable Principles of Geology.' 



How Ly ell's first volume inspired Darwin with his 

 passion for geological research, and how his second 

 volume was one of the determining causes in turn- 

 ing his mind in the direction of Evolution, we shall 



