34 AUTOBIOGKAPHY. [Ch. n. 



the first volume of the Principles, which had then just been 

 published, but on no account to accept the views therein 

 advocated. How differently would any one now speak of the 

 Principles! I am proud to remember that the first place, 

 namely, St. Jago, in the Cape de Verde Archipelago, in which 

 I geologised, convinced me of the infinite superiority of Lyell's 

 views over those advocated in any other work known to me. 



The powerful effects of Lyell's works could formerly be 

 plainly seen in the different progress of the science in France 

 and England. The present total oblivion of Elie de Beau- 

 mont's wild hypotheses, such as his Craters of Elevation and 

 Lines of Elevation (which latter hypothesis I heard Sedgwick at 

 the Geological Society lauding to the skies), may be largely 

 attributed to Lyell. 



I saw a good deal of Robert Brown, "facile Princeps 

 Botanicorum," as he was called by Humboldt. He seemed to 

 me to be chiefly remarkable for the minuteness of his observa- 

 tions and their perfect accuracy. His knowledge was extra- 

 ordinarily great, and much died with him, owing to his 

 excessive fear of ever making a mistake. He poured out his 

 knowledge to me in the most unreserved manner, yet was 

 strangely jealous on some points. I called on him two or three 

 times before the voyage of the Beagle, and on one occasion he 

 asked me to look through a microscope and describe what I 

 saw. This I did, and believe now that it was the marvellous 

 currents of protoplasm in some vegetable cell. I then asked 

 him what I had seen ; but he answered me, " That is my little 

 secret." 



He was capable of the most generous actions. When old, 

 much out of health, and quite unfit for any exertion, he daily 

 visited (as Hooker told me) an old man-servant, who lived at a 

 distance (and whom he supported), and read aloud to him. 

 This is enough to make up for any degree of scientific 

 penuriousness or jealousy. 



I may here mention a few other eminent men whom I have 

 occasionally seen, but I have little to say about them worth 

 saying. I felt a high reverence for Sir J. Herschel, and was 

 delighted to dine with him at his charming house at the Cape 

 of Good Hope and afterwards at his London house. I saw him, 

 also, on a few other occasions. He never talked much, but 

 every word w r hich he uttered was worth listening to. 



I once met at breakfast, at Sir R. Murchison's house, the 

 illustrious Humboldt, who honoured me by expressing a wish 

 to see me. I was a little disappointed with the great man, but 

 my anticipations probably were too high. I can remembe* 



