Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875) wrote many geological papers, mainly published by the Geological Society of London (1807-present day), but his reputation rests almost entirely on his work Principles of Geology, ( 1830-1833) inspired in part by a European tour with Sir Roderick Impey Murchison and also his knowledge of James Hutton's Theory of the Earth. In this work, first published in three volumes, Lyell propounded his theory of uniformitarianism, which holds that all geological formations can be explianed solely in terms of natural processes which can be observed in operation today. This ran counter to the prevailing theory which assumed that mountain-building and other geological phenomena could only have occurred as a result of major cataclysmic events in the past. Lyell's uniformitarianism was developed in order to reject the progressionism implicit in the prevailing theory, which he saw as leading to evolution, an idea which he strongly opposed. Ironically, Lyell's opposition to evolution brought the idea to scientists' attention and the vast time scales required by uniformitarianism enabled Darwin to conceive of his version of evolutionary theory. Lyell's other works include: The Elements of Geology, ( 1837) Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man, ( 1863-1873).
Charles Lyell's father was an active naturalist, and Lyell had access to an elaborate library which included works on geology. Whilst at Oxford University he attended lectures by William Buckland, professor of geology, that triggered his enthusiasm for the subject. He became more and more interested in the subject and made many geological tours with his family in England and Scotland in 1817, and on the Continent the following year, the first of many trips abroad. In 1828 he explored the volcanic region of the Auvergne, then went to Mount Etna to gather supporting evidence for the theory of geology he would expound in his Principles of Geology . He also made numerous tours of the United States, described in Travels in North America, ( 1909) . His writings deal with the rock cycle, which explains how one type of rock is transformed into another. Lyell also expounds notions on volcanic forces, deposition, erosion and palaeontology in his writings. His work helped to establish the modern study of geology and geologic time. In addition to rock formation, he also wrote about palaeontology. It was Lyell who proposed the idea of reference fossils - fossils which are indicative of certain periods of geologic time. He divided geologic time into four periods: Pleistocene, Older Pliocene, Miocene and Eocene. His final work, The Antiquity of Man, ( 1863) , was a wide-ranging study of the human fossil record. In this work Lyell finally accepted Darwinian evolution, but still tried to insist that there was a radical discontinuity between humankind and the rest of the animal kingdom.
In 1823 Lyell was appointed secretary of the Geological Society of London, and 3 years later they made him their foreign secretary. He was twice President in 1836 and 1850. Lyell was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1826. He was awarded a Royal Medal in 1834 and the Copley Medal in 1858 and in 1866 he was awarded the Wollaston Medal. In 1832 he was the first professor of geology at King's College, London, and became President of the British Association in 1864.
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains Lyell's notes from travels in and around Bradford, in May 1829. Lyell's writing stops at p. 30, save for an index on p 109, which is transcribed below. It features an illustration on p 4, 'Sandy Hill', p. 8 'Castle mills', and notes on Bedford alluvium. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains brief notes of wastage of cliffs along coast of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk. There is a list of Aix insects p.42. There are many blank pages and notes without references or context. Contents are written primarily in pencil, and sketches in ink. On the front cover is written in ink "1. June 1829". The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains further notes by Lyell on geological observations in Lowestoft, Gorleston, Bramerton, Pastwich, Sherringham. Brown leather notebook, number 2 on the cover, index on the back cover, mostly sketches within. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed from digital surrogates using the platform...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains notes, sketches, and hasty descriptions on Norfolk geology and submarine currents. On the front cover is written the number 3, and Index is glued to the back cover. The contents are mostly artistic sketches within some hasty descriptions. Pencil and ink. Spine is highly fragile. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains geological notes on Scottish and Yorkshire geology, Edinburgh and Forfarshire, Newcastle and York. The index is adhered to the back cover, the front cover reads 2.4. The two has been struck through. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed from digital surrogates using the platform Transkribus....
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains diverse notes on British geology, and lists of queries for correspondents Blackadder, Humboldt, and Dr. Fleming. The front 3 pages are missing. Lyell's writing is a combination of steady, small copy hand, and hasty pencil observations. On p. 59, Lyell writes, "Hutton did not go as far as Moro". The list of questions on page 68 includes note 'Mrs. Murchison To ask Mary Anning for rate of waste at Lyme'. ...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains diverse notes on geology and social issues, as well as material gathered for publication in 'The Principles of Geology' on submarine currents. There is no inscription on the cover. The front page is missing, and there is what seems to be a child's drawing of an insect on p. 61. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains Lyell's notes on geology of France. The index, transcribed below, is adhered to the back cover, and the front cover is blank. The contents include Diagrams of mountain making, sketches of rocks, and a sketch of mountain range. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed from digital surrogates using...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains mostly sketches with accounts of letters received or written, and hasty descriptions of geological theories pertaining to Bordeaux, the Pyrenees, and parts of Spain. The cover is blank, and the index is a page adhered to the back cover. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed from digital...
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook contains geological observations in pencil, and detailed sketches of mountain ranges. The cover is blank, and the index is a page adhered to the back cover. The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed from digital surrogates using the platform Transkribus. When known, Lyell's abbreviations and contractions...
