178 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



" "We, the undersigned Fellows of the Royal, the 

 Geological, and the Linnaean Societies, respectfully pray 

 that the remains of Sir Charles Lyell may be interred 

 in Westminster Abbey. For upwards of half a century 

 he has exercised a most important influence on the 

 progress of geological science, and for the last twenty- 

 five years he has been the most prominent geologist in 

 the world, equally eminent for the extent of his labours 

 and the breadth of his philosophical views." 



The prayer of the memorial was immediately granted, 

 and the funeral was attended by an immense concourse 

 of public men, all his personal friends ; for by young 

 and old the veteran master of geology was deeply 

 loved and revered. 



The late Dean Stanley conducted the service, and 

 on the following Sunday he also preached a funeral 

 sermon in the Abbey, from which we make the following- 

 extra ct : — 



" Of him who is thus laid to rest, if of any one of 

 our time, it may be said that he followed truth with a 

 zeal as sanctified as ever fired the soul of a missionary, 

 and with a humility as child-like as ever subdued the 

 mind of a simple scholar. For discovering, confirm- 

 ing, rectifying his conclusions, there was no journey 

 too distant to undertake. Never did he think of his 

 own fame or name in comparison of the scientific results 

 which he sought to establish. From early youth to 

 extreme old age it was to him a solemn religious duty 

 to be incessantly learning, constantly growing, fearlessly 

 correcting his own mistakes, always ready to receivo 

 and reproduce from others that which he had not in 



