270 Sir Charles Lyell. 
neighborhood, he found some laborers quarrying in stone which 
they called whin. As this term is Scoticé trap. the young 
traveler was much puzzled to know how such a rock appeared 
in the south of England, and upon inquiry of one of the laborers 
why the stone was so called, the man referred him to ‘a mons- 
trous clever mon as lived at Lewes, a doctor who knowed all 
about them things and got curiosities out of the chalk pits to 
make physic with.’ The man, in short, had been formerly a 
Lewes quarryman, and one of my collectors. Mr. Lyell being 
daughters. Mr. Lyell is the eldest, and at the death of the 
father inherits the family estate, which, I believe, is moderate. 
tatious manner in an unfashionable part of the city. A few 
years ago he married Miss Horner, who is much younger than 
himself (Lyell is 45 or 46), and a more suitable companion he 
could not have found. He has no children. In person, Lyell 
a nothing remarkable except a broad expanse of fore- 
ead. He is of the middle size, a decided Scottish physiogno- 
my, small eyes, fine chin and a rather proud or reserved ex- 
pression of countenance. He is very absent, and a slow but ~ 
profound thinker. He was Professor in King’s College, London, 
and gave lectures there and at the Royal Institution, but it so 
happened that I never heard him lecture. He always takes 
age in the discussions at the meetings of the Geological 
ciety, but he has not facility in speaking; there is hesita- 
tion in his manner, and his voice is neither powerful nor 
melodious, nor is his action at all imposing. As a popular 
lecturer he would stand no chance with Buckland or Sedgwick. 
He is providing himself with very beautiful illustrations for his 
lectures at Boston; and I should suppose the prestige of his 
name and his European reputation will insure him a flatter- 
ing reception. * * * * There is a hauteur or re- 
serve about Mr. Lyell to strangers that prevents his being 
