SIR CHARLES LYELL. 517 



complete revision of his discussion of the development theory, aban- 

 doning the positions he had previously held, removed from this, his 

 master-piece, its sole blemish ; and gave to it a logical completeness, 

 and an entire accordance with the physical principles, the types of its 

 method, which it had previously lacked. And thus it happened that 

 Lyell was one of the- few veterans in science who relinquished their 

 earlier views in consequence of the arguments and the facts in Dar- 

 win's " Origin of Species," aad in his treatise on " The Variation of 

 Animals and Plants under Domestication." 



Both the earlier and this later position of Sir Charles Lyell on the 

 transmutation theory were consequences of worthy traits of mind and 

 character. He was " in nothing too much ; " was cautious from the 

 conservatism of a Liberal, and was not conservative through any taint 

 of servility. A liberal in politics and religion as well as in science, 

 he was deeply interested in the political conditions and social charac- 

 teristics of America, where during his two visits he won to him the 

 attachment of many life-long friends. His wife, a lady of rare gifts, 

 the daughter of a distinguished geologist, Mr. Leonard Horner, was 

 the constant comi^anion of Sir Charles Lyell in his travels and studies. 

 Bereft two years before by the death of this devoted friend, he died on 

 the 22d of last February at the age of seventy-seven. He was a 

 native of Scotland, the eldest son of Charles Lyell, Esq., of Kinordy, 

 County Forfar. He was graduated at Oxford in 1821, and was called 

 to the bar. He was knighted in 1848, and created a baronet in 1864. 

 His scholarly attainments and a judicial spirit of accuracy, the results 

 of his training, conduced not less than his native sagacity, patience, and 

 amiability, to win for him the illustrious place which his name will 

 ever hold in the history of science. 



Since the last Annual Meeting the Academy has received 

 an accession of twenty-one new members : eight Fellows, 

 five Associate Fellows, and eight Foreign Honorary Mem- 

 bers. 



The list of the Academy, including 195 Fellows, 91 Asso- 

 ciate Fellows, 70 Foreign Honorary Members, is hei-eto 

 added : — 



