LONDON. 



57 



this time I saw also a good deal of Robert Brown; I used 

 often to call and sit with him during his breakfast on Sunday 

 mornings, and he poured forth a rich treasure of curious ob- 

 servations and acute remarks, but they almost always related 

 to minute points, and he never with me discussed large or 

 general questions in science. 



During these two years I took several short excursions as 

 a relaxation, and one longer one to the Parallel Roads of Glen 

 Roy, an account of which was published in the ' Philosoph- 

 ical Transactions.'* This paper was a great failure, and I 

 am ashamed of it. Having been deeply impressed w r ith what 

 I had seen of the elevation of the land of South America, I 

 attributed the parallel lines to the action of the sea; but I had 

 to give up this view when Agassiz propounded his glacier- 

 lake theory. Because no other explanation was possible under 

 our then state of knowledge, I argued in favor of sea-action ; 

 and my error has been a good lesson to me never to trust in 

 science to the principle of exclusion. 



As I was not able to work all day at science, I read a 

 good deal during these two years on various subjects, includ- 

 ing some metaphysical books ; but I was not well fitted for 

 such studies. About this time I took much delight in Words- 

 worth's and Coleridge's poetry ; and can boast that I read the 

 1 Excursion ' twice through. Formerly Milton's ! Paradise 

 Lost ' had been my chief favourite, and in my excursions dur- 

 ing the voyage of the Beagle, when I could take only a single 

 volume, I always chose Milton. 



From 7ny marriage, January 29, 1839, and residence in Upper 

 Gower Street, to our leaving London and settling at Down, 

 September 14, 1842. 



After speaking of his happy married life, and of his children, he 

 continues : — 



During the three years and eight months whilst we resided 

 in London, I did less scientific work, though I worked as 



* 1839, pp. 39-82. 



