1865.] LYELL'S 'ELEMENTS.' 219 



this leads me to a third question. Does the Berlin Academy 

 of Sciences send their Proceedings to Honorary Members ? 

 I want to know, to ascertain whether I am a member ; I sup- 

 pose not, for I think it would have made some impression 

 on me ; yet I distinctly remember receiving some diploma 

 signed by Ehrenberg. I have been so careless ; I have lost 

 several diplomas, and now I want to know what Societies I 

 belong to, as I observe every [one] tacks their titles to their 

 names in the catalogue of the Royal Soc."] 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Down, Feb. 21 [1865]. 



My dear Lyell, — I have taken a long time to thank you 

 very much for your present of the ' Elements.* 



I am going through it all, reading what is new, and what 

 I have forgotten, and this is a good deal. 



I am simply astonished at the amount of labour, knowl- 

 edge, and clear thought condensed in this work. The whole 

 strikes me as somiCthing quite grand. I have been particu- 

 larly interested by your account of Heer's work and your 

 discussion on the Atlantic Continent. I am particularly de- 

 lighted at the view which you take on this subject; for I have 

 long thought Forbes did an ill service in so freely making 

 continents. 



I have also been very glad to read your argument on the 

 denudation of the Weald, and your excellent resume on the 

 Purbeck Beds ; and this is the point at which I have at pres- 

 ent arrived in your book. I cannot say that I am quite con- 

 vinced that there is no connection beyond that pointed out 

 by you, between glacial action and the formation of lake 

 basins ; but you will not much value my opinion on this head, 

 as I have already changed my mind some half-dozen times. 



I want to make a suggestion to you. I found the weight 

 of your volume intolerable, especially when lying down, so 

 with great boldness cut it into two pieces, and took it out of 

 its cover; now could not Murray without any other change 



