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 black notebook starts in London, with a growing focus on Lyell's study and reading in preparation for the voyage to the Canaries, including listing companies and people he needs to find whilst on the islands - pg. 25 Messers Gordon Duff & Co and Messers Bruce, Hamilton & Co., and pg. 50 'the Azevedo Portuguese Engineer is intelligent man at Funchal". Pg. 33-35, 47, 61 and 69 list the sources, books and items he is taking with him on the voyage. Whilst still in England, he is...
Scope and Contents
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, Charles Bunbury, Mary Horner, and Frances Horner. Military Engineer António Pedro d’Azevedo also accompanied them, whilst on the Island. This notebook starts December 22nd, 1853, in Funchal and the Southwest areas of Madeira. Specific areas of note include Cape Girão, Socorridos, Funchal, Pico de Cruz, Porta Novo, and Arrebentão. This notebook primarily focuses on the geological...
Scope and Contents
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. This notebook is from January 1854 in Madeira and the island of Porto Santo. Specific areas of note include São Martinho, Pico do Facho, Porto Santo, Pico de Ana Ferreira, Pico do Castelo, Baxio, Porto dos Frades, Piedade, and Caniçal. This notebook primarily focuses on the geological features and formations Lyell saw...
Scope and Contents
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. This notebook starts January 1854 in Madeira. Specific areas of note include Funchal, Arndas, Piedade, Cape Girão, Pico St Martinho, Pico da Cruz, Pico dos Bodes, Curral, Pico Da Barraca, Santo António, Jardim da Serra, and São Vicente. This notebook primarily focuses on the geological features and formations Lyell saw...
Transcription note:
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. This notebook begins January 16th, 1854, covering both Madeira and the Azores archipelago. Specific areas of note include Boaventura, Ponte la Grande, Ponte De Serra, São Jorge, Faial Island, Ribeiro Frio, Arrebentão, Pontinha, Piedade, and Paul da Serra. This notebook primarily focuses on the geological features and...
Transcription note:
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, and in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. Specific areas of note include Cape Girão, Curral [das Freiras], Pico Serado, Torrinhas, Pico do Cardo, Casa Branca, Pico da Cruz, Pico Grande, Pico do Jorge, Pico Ruivo, and Serradinho. This notebook primarily focuses on the geological features and formations Lyell saw across Madeira and includes a vast number of...
Transcription note:
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. This notebook starts January 31st, 1854, and covers Charles Lyell’s travels around the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo. Specific areas of note include Cape Girão, Pico da Cruz, Pico Ruivo, Torrinhas, Camara de Lobos, Pico do Gato, Ilheu do Campanario, Boqueirão, Santo Antonio, and São Vicente. This notebook primarily...
Scope and Contents
This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. This notebook is from February 1854 and covers Charles Lyell’s travels around the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo with specific notes on Sao Vicente, Curral das Freiras, Pico Santo, Santo António, Pico Ruivo, Funchal, Pico Grande, Câmara de Lobos, Boqueirão, Santa Cruz, Porto Novo, Pico dos Bodes, Caminho do Pico da...
Scope and Contents
This red notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira and the Canary Islands with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. and is one of the longest. It starts by completing his observations in Madeira, before he goes to Gran Canaria focusing on Las Palmas, Teror, Bandama Caldera, Tafira, Las Rehoyas, Barranco de Guiniguada, Castillo del Ray, Tosca Blanca, Agüimes, Tirajana, and Fataga. This notebook primarily focuses...
Scope and Contents
This red notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around the Canary Islands with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury, and along with previous notebook 193, is one of the longest. There is a clear date noted on page 1, of 6th March 1854, however, in the separate index recorded in the Madeira Index reference Coll-203/A5/16 dates are given there as 26th – 29th October 1855 – which may reflect the date the index was created. This...
