254 SIR CHARLES LTELL. 



quartz intersecting it : the appearance is very curi- 

 ous. On the top was the richest carpet of turf I 

 ever saw, spangled with thousands of the deep 

 blue gentian, red trefoil, and other mountain 

 flowers." Nothing said about law, but much about 

 rocks ! 



At twenty-two Lyell graduated from Oxford. 

 The same year he became a Fellow of the Geologi- 

 cal Society of London, and also of the Linnsean 

 Society, and, in accordance with his father's prefer- 

 ence, began the study of law in London. 



But the way to success is almost never easy. 

 Lyell's eyes became very weak, and he was obliged 

 to desist from reading, and go to Borne with his 

 father. Many a young man, well-to-do, would have 

 given up a profession, preferring a life of leisure. 

 Not so Charles Lyell. On his return he inspected 

 Eomney Marsh, an extensive tract of land, formerly 

 covered by the sea, and also the Isle of Wight, 

 and wrote his first scientific paper on the geology 

 of some rivers near his native place in Forfarshire. 

 At twenty-six he was made secretary of the Geo- 

 logical Society. Already such men as Dr. Buck- 

 land felt the deepest interest in the enterprising 

 young student, who was devoting himself to original 

 research. 



And now he was going to Paris, to perfect him- 

 self in French. Dr. Buckland and others gave 

 him letters of introduction to such persons as 

 Humboldt and Cuvier. Fortunate young Lyell! 

 Such men would fan the flame of aspiration to a 

 white heat. 



