LONDON. 57 



this time I saw also a good deal of Robert Brown; I used 

 often to call and sit with him during his breakfast on Sunday- 

 mornings, and he poured forth a rich treasure of curious ob- 

 servations and acute remarks, but they almost always related 

 to minute points, and he never with me discussed large or 

 general questions in science. 



During these two years I took several short excursions as 

 a relaxation, and one longer one to the Parallel Roads of Glen 

 Roy, an account of which was published in the ' Philosoph- 

 ical Transactions.'* This paper was a great failure, and 1 

 am ashamed of it. Having been deeply impressed with what 

 I had seen of the elevation of the land of South America, I 

 attributed the parallel lines to the action of the sea; but I had 

 to give up this view when Agassiz propounded his glacier- 

 lake theory. Because no other explanation was possible under 

 our then state of knowledge, I argued in favor of sea-action ; 

 and my error has been a good lesson to me never to trust in 

 science to the principle of exclusion. 



As I was not able to work all day at science, I read a 

 good deal during these two years on various subjects, includ- 

 ing some metaphysical books ; but I was not well fitted for 

 such studies. About this time I took much delight in Words- 

 worth's and Coleridge's poetry ; and can boast that I read the 

 * Excursion ' twice through. Formerly Milton's ' Paradise 

 Lost ' had been my chief favourite, and in my excursions dur- 

 ing the voyage of the Beagle^ when I could take only a single 

 volume, I always chose Milton. 



From my marriage, January 29, 1839, and residence in Upper 

 Gower Street^ to our leaving London aftd settlifig at Down^ 

 September 14, 1842. 



After speaking of his happy married life, and of his children, he 

 continues : — 



During the three years and eight months whilst we resided 

 in London, I did less scientific work, though I worked as 



* 1839, pp. 39-82. 



