1859 LETTER TO LYELL 249 



assertions when repeated at the Oxford meeting of 

 the British Association in 1860, and promised to 

 make good his challenge in the proper place. 



We also find him combating some of the difficulties 

 in the way of accepting the theory laid before him 

 by Sir Charles Lyell. The veteran geologist had 

 been Darwin's confidant from almost the beginning 

 of his speculations; he had really paved the way 

 for the evolutionary doctrine by his own proof of 

 geological uniformity, but he shrank from accepting 

 it, for its inevitable extension to the descent of man 

 was repugnant to his feelings. Nevertheless, he 

 would not allow sentiment to stand in the way of 

 truth, and after the publication of the " Origin " it 

 could be said of him 



Lyell, up to that time a pillar of the anti-transmuta- 

 tionists (who regarded him, ever after, as Pallas Athene 

 may have looked at Dian, after the Endymion affair), 

 declared himself a Darwinian, though not without putting 

 in a serious caveat. Nevertheless, he was a tower of 

 strength, and his courageous stand for truth as against 

 consistency did him infinite honour. (T. H. H. in Life of 

 Darwin, voL ii. p. 231.) 



To SIR CHARLES LYELL 



June 25, 1859 



MY DEAR SIB CHARLES I have endeavoured to meet 

 your objections in the enclosed. Ever yours, very truly, 



T. H. H. 



The fixity and definite limitation of species, genera, 

 and larger groups appear to me to be perfectly consistent 



