i854-] GEOLOGY. 



and what a good, dear, kind fellow you are, nevertheless, to 

 rejoice in this honour being bestowed on me. 



What pleasure I have felt on the occasion, I owe almost 

 entirely to you. 



Farewell, my dear Hooker, yours affectionately, 



C. DARWIN. 



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 i8th [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 circum- 

 ference than in the middle of the island ; do you suppose the 

 elevation has had the form of a flat dome? I remember in the 



