390 LIFE AT DOWN. ^TAT. 33-45. [1854. 



P-S. You may believe what a surprise it was, for I had 

 never heard that the medals could be given except for papers 

 in the ' Transactions.' All this will make me work with better 

 heart at finishing the second volume. 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Down, February iSth [1854]. 



MY DEAR LYELL, I should have written before, had it not 

 seemed doubtful whether you would go on to Teneriffe, but 

 now I am extremely glad to hear your further progress is 

 certain ; not that I have much of any sort to say, as you may 

 well believe when you hear that I have only once been in 

 London since you started. I was particularly glad to see, two 

 days since, your letter to Mr. Horner, with its geological news ; 

 how fortunate for you that your knees are recovered. I am 

 astonished at what you say of the beauty, though I had 

 fancied it great. It really makes me quite envious to think 

 of your clambering up and down those steep valleys. And 

 what a pleasant party on your return from your expeditions. 

 I often think of the delight which I felt when examining vol- 

 canic islands, and I can remember even particular rocks which 

 I struck, and the smell of the hot, black, scoriaceous cliffs ; 

 but of those hot smells you do not seem to have had much. 

 I do quite envy you. How I should like to be with you, and 

 speculate on the deep and narrow valleys. 



How very singular the fact is which you mention about the 

 inclination of the strata being greater round the circumference 

 than in the middle of the island ; do you suppose the eleva- 

 tion has had the form of a flat dome. I remember in the 

 Cordillera being often struck with the greater abruptness of 

 the strata in the low extreme outermost ranges, compared 

 with the great mass of inner mountains. I dare say you will 

 have thought of measuring exactly the width of any dikes 

 at the top and bottom of any great cliff (which was done by 



