LYELL AND LONSDALE. 2/5 



I hear, is so much occupied that there is no chance of his 

 wishing for specimens of reptiles. I have forgotten to men- 

 tion Mr. Lonsdale,* who gave me a most cordial reception, 

 and with whom I had much most interesting conversation. If 

 I was not much more inclined for geology than the other 

 branches of Natural History, I am sure Mr. Lyell's and 

 Lonsdale's kindness ought to fix me. You cannot conceive 

 anything more thoroughly good-natured than the heart-and- 

 soul manner in which he put himself in my place and thought 

 what would be best to do. At first he was all for London 

 versus Cambridge, but at last I made him confess that, for 

 some time at least, the latter would be for me much the best. 

 There is not another soul whom I could ask, excepting 

 yourself, to wade through and criticise some of those papers 

 which I have left with you. Mr. Lyell owned that, second to 

 London, there was no place in England so good for a 

 Naturalist as Cambridge. Upon my word I am ashamed 

 of writing so many foolish details ; no young lady ever 

 described her first ball with more particularity." 



A few days later he writes more cheerfully : " I became 

 acquainted with Mr. Bell,f who to my surprise expressed a 

 good deal of interest about my Crustacea and reptiles, and 

 seems willing to work at them. I also heard that Mr. Broderip 

 would be glad to look over the South American shells, so 

 that things flourish well with me." 



About his plants he writes with characteristic openness as 

 to his own ignorance : " You have made me known amongst 

 the botanists, but I felt very foolish when Mr. Don remarked 



* William Lonsdale, b. 1794, when he resigned, owing to ill- 



d. 1871, was originally in the army, health. 



and served at the battles of Sala- f T - Bell, F.R.S., formerly Prof, 



manca and Waterloo. After the of Zoology in King's College, 



war he left the service and gave London, and sometime secretary to 



himself up to science. He acted the Royal Society. He afterward 



as assistant secretary to the described the reptiles for the 



Geological Society from 1829-42, zoology of the voyage of the Beagle. 



VOL. I. U 



