360 Darwin and Geology 



that they were "withdrawn by the author by permission of the 

 Council." 



Darwin's activity during this session led to some rather alarming 

 effects upon his health, and he was induced to take a holiday in 

 Staffordshire and the Isle of Wight. He was not idle, however, for 

 a remark of his uncle, Mr Wedgwood, led him to make those in- 

 teresting observations on the work done by earthworms, that resulted 

 in his preparing a short memoir on the subject, and this paper, On 

 the Formation of Mould, was read at the Society on November 1st, 

 1837, being the first of Darwin's papers published in full ; it appeared 

 in Vol. v. of the Geological Transactions, pp. 505 — 510. 



During this session, Darwin attended nearly all the Council meet- 

 ings, and took such an active part in the work of the Society that it 

 is not surprising to find that he was now requested to accept the 

 position of Secretary. After some hesitation, in which he urged his 

 inexperience and want of knowledge of foreign languages, he con- 

 sented to accept the appointment 1 . 



At the anniversary meeting on February 16th, 1838, the Wollaston 

 Medal was given to Owen in recognition of his services in describing 

 the fossil mammals sent home by Darwin. In his address, the 

 President, Professor Whewell, dwelt at length on the great value 

 of the papers which Darwin had laid before the Society during the 

 preceding session. 



On March 7th, Darwin read before the Society the most important 

 perhaps of all his geological papers, On the Connexion of certain 

 Volcanic Phenomena in South America, and on the Formation 

 of Mountain-Chains and Volcanoes as the effect of Continental 

 Elevations. In this paper he boldly attacked the tenets of 

 the Catastrophists. It is evident that Darwin at this time, taking 

 advantage of the temporary improvement in his health, was throwing 

 himself into the breach of Uniformitarianism with the greatest ardour. 

 Lyell wrote to Sedgwick on April 21st, 1837, "Darwin is a glorious 

 addition to any society of geologists, and is working hard and making 

 way, both in his book and in our discussions 2 ." 



We have unfortunately few records of the animated debates which 

 took place at this time between the old and new schools of geologists. 

 I have often heard Lyell tell how Lockhart would bring down a party 

 of friends from the Athenaeum Club to Somerset House on Geological 

 nights, not, as he carefully explained, that " he cared for geology, but 

 because he liked to hear the fellows fight." But it fortunately 

 happens that a few days after this last of Darwin's great field-days, 

 at the Geological Society, Lyell, in a friendly letter to his father-in- 



1 L. L. i. p. 285. 



2 The Life and Letters of the Reverend Adam Sedgwick, Vol. i. p. 484, Cambridge, 1890. 



