SIR CHARLES LYELL, BART. 173 



lie cuts short his observations upon the current topics 

 of the clay, and falls to 'napping the chuckie stanes' 

 again." 



Commenting on the "Second Visit," another authority 

 of the time states : — 



" We know of no books of modern travels so full 

 of agreeable and useful reading, so pregnant with 

 instruction respecting the geology and physical 

 geography of America, and so liberal and candid in 

 their judgments on all the social, political, and 

 religious questions which now everywhere agitate the 

 public mind. There is no object too low for our 

 author's notice, and none too high for his grasp. 

 Whatever warms the heart of the philanthropist, or 

 excites the zeal of the missionary, or perplexes the 

 genius of the statesman, or exercises the intellect of 

 the sage, calls forth all his powers of observation, 

 and rouses all Ins energies of thought. The condition 

 of the criminal and the slave, the educational instruc- 

 tion of the ignorant, the moral and religious training 

 of the people, the amelioration of the condition of the 

 poor, and the equalization of the political rights, 

 are all advocated with that earnestness and talent 

 which, seldom fail to advance the object at which 

 they aim." 



Besides these transatlantic journeys Lyell undertook 

 numerous geological excursions at different times to 

 all parts of Great Britain and Ireland, also to Germany, 

 Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Madeira, and Teneriffe. 

 These latter islands he visited in company with Mr. 

 George Hartung, of Konigsberg, and together they 



