358 Darwin and Geology 



feared that he found himself sadly overmatched when opposed by the 

 eloquence of Sedgwick, the sarcasm of Buckland, and the dead weight 

 of incredulity on the part of Greenough, Conybeare, Murchison and 

 other members of the band of pioneer workers. As time went on 

 there is evidence that the opposition of De la Beche and Whewell 

 somewhat relaxed ; the brilliant " Paddy " Fitton (as his friends 

 called him) was sometimes found in alliance with Lyell, but was 

 characteristically apt to turn his weapon, as occasion served, on 

 friend or foe alike ; the amiable John Phillips "sat upon the fence." 

 Only when a new generation arose — including Jukes, Ramsay, Forbes 

 and Hooker — did Lyell find his teachings received with anything like 

 favour. 



We can well understand, then, how Lyell would welcome such 

 a recruit as young Darwin — a man who had declared himself more 

 Lyellian than Lyell, and who brought to his support facts and 

 observations gleaned from so wide a field. 



The first meeting of Lyell and Darwin was characteristic of the 

 two men. Darwin at once explained to Lyell that, with respect to 

 the origin of coral-reefs, he had arrived at views directly opposed to 

 those published by " his master." To give up his own theory, cost 

 Lyell, as he told Herschel, a " pang at first," but he was at once con- 

 vinced of the immeasurable superiority of Darwin's theory. I have 

 heard members of Lyell's family tell of the state of wild excitement 

 and sustained enthusiasm, which lasted for days with Lyell after this 

 interview, and his letters to Herschel, Whewell and others show his 

 pleasure at the new light thrown upon the subject and his impatience 

 to have the matter laid before the Geological Society. 



Writing forty years afterwards, Darwin, speaking of the time of 

 the return of the Beagle, says : " I saw a great deal of Lyell. One of 

 his chief characteristics was his sympathy with the work of others, 

 and I was as much astonished as delighted at the interest which he 

 showed when, on my return to England, I explained to him my views 

 on coral-reefs. This encouraged me greatly, and his advice and 

 example had much influence on me 1 ." Darwin further states that he 

 saw more of Lyell at this time than of any other scientific man, and 

 at his request sent his first communication to the Geological Society 2 . 



"Mr Lonsdale" (the able curator of the Geological Society), Darwin 

 wrote to Henslow, " with whom I had much interesting conversation," 

 "gave me a most cordial reception," and he adds, "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 



1 L. L. i. p. 68. 2 L. L. i. p. 67. 





