368 Darwin and Geology 



Keeling Island, he had opportunities for putting his theory to the test 

 of observation. 



On his return to England, Darwin appears to have been greatly 

 surprised at the amount of interest that his new theory excited. 

 Urged by Lyell, he read to the Geological Society a paper on the 

 subject, as we have seen, with as little delay as possible, but this 

 paper was " withdrawn by permission of the Council." An abstract 

 of three pages however appeared in the Proceedings of the Geological 

 Society'^. A full account of the observations and the theory was 

 given in the Journal (1839) in the 40 pages devoted to Keeling 

 Island in particular and to Coral formations generally ^ 



It Avill be readily understood what an amount of labour the book 

 on Coral reefs cost Darwin when we reflect on the number of charts, 

 sailing directions, narratives of voyages and other works which, with 

 the friendly assistance of the authorities at the Admiralty, he had 

 to consult before he could draw up his sketch of the nature and 

 distribution of the reefs, and this was necessary before the theory, 

 in all its important bearings, could be clearly eimnciated. Very 

 pleasing is it to read how Darwin, although arriving at a different 

 conclusion to Lyell, shows, by quoting a very suggestive passage in 

 the Principles^, how the latter only just missed the true solution. 

 This passage is cited, both in the Journal and the volume on Coral- 

 reefs. Lyell, as we have seen, received the new theory not merely 

 ungrudgingly, but with the utmost enthusiasm. 



In 1849 Darwin was gratified by receiving the support of Dana, 

 after his prolonged investigation in connection with the U.S. Exploring 

 Expedition^ and in 1874 he prepared a second edition of his book, in 

 which some objections which had been raised to the theory were 

 answered. A third edition, edited by Professor Bonney, appeared in 

 1880, and a fourth (a reprint of the first edition, with introduction by 

 myself) in 1890. 



Although Professor Semper, in his account of the Pelew Islands, 

 had suggested difficulties in the acceptance of Darwin's theory, it was 

 not till after the return of the Challenger expedition in 1875 that 

 a rival theory was propounded, and somewhat heated discussions were 

 raised as to the respective merits of the two theories. While geolo- 

 gists have, nearly without exception, strongly supported Darwin's 

 views, the notes of dissent have come almost entirely from zoologists. 

 At the height of the controversy unfounded charges of unfairness 

 were made against Darwin's supporters and the authorities of the 

 Geological Society, but this unpleasant subject has been disposed of, 

 once for all, by Huxley ^ 



» Vol. II. pp. 552—554 (May 31, 1837). " Journal (1st edit.), pp. 439—69. 



2 iBt edit. Vol. II. p. 296. * M. L. ii. pp. 226—8. 



* Essay f upon some Controverted Qnentions, London, 1892, pp. 314—328 and 623 — 625- 



