xii] OF EVOLUTION 157 



touching indeed was it to witness the marks of 

 affection between these two great men ; an affection 

 which remained undiminished to the end. Lyell was 

 twelve years senior to Darwin, and died seven years 

 before his friend. During the last year of LyelTs 

 life, I spent the summer with him at his home in 

 Forfarshire. How well do I recollect the keenness 

 with which in spite of a near-sightedness that had 

 increased with age almost to blindness he still 

 devoted himself to geological work. The 264 note- 

 books, all carefully indexed, were in constant use, 

 and visits were made to all the haunts of his youth, 

 with the frequent pathetic appeal to me, 'You must 

 lend me your eyes.' In spite of age and weakness, 

 he would insist on clambering up the steepest hills 

 to show me where he had found glacial markings, 

 and would eagerly listen to my report on them. But 

 the great delight of those days was the arrival of 

 a letter from Darwin! Lyell was the recipient of 

 many honours, and he declined many more, when he 

 feared that they might interfere with the work to 

 which he had devoted his life, but the distinction he 

 prized most of all was that conferred on him by his 

 lifelong friend, who used to address him as 'My dear 

 old Master,' and subscribe himself 'Your affectionate 

 pupiL' 



During the seven years that elapsed after the 

 death of Lyell, I saw Darwin from time to time, for 



