Notebook No.149, 14 December 1846 - 18 January 1847

This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s discussions, ideas, and recordings of December 1846 whilst he was back in the U.K, based at 11 Harley Street, London, after his second travel to America. Throughout this notebook there are crossed out memorandums and geological references alongside contemporary political and religious discussions. The Wandering Jew references are continued in this notebook as in Notebooks 146 and 147. Places Lyell refers to in this notebook include America, Egypt, Lyons, Rome, and Ireland. Lyell also references and talks to key individuals including Richard Dana (American Lawyer and Politian), Lambruschini and Gizzi (Italian Cardinals), Henry Robert Dukinfield (Religious Official), Edward Forbes (Naturalist), Chester Dewey (Botanist and Anti-slavery Activist), Honoré Mirabeau (Writer and Statesman), Christian Bunsen (Diplomat and Scholar), Henry Hallam (British Museum Trustee), and William Ellery Channing (Theologian). Lyell’s interest in sea-serpents features again in this notebook as well as his knowledge of classical literature such as Tacitus, a discussion on Menes, king of Egypt, and on Bunsen on the mythical vs human nature of the figure and mythology. Lyell continues his interest in British and U.S politics, covering issues like slavery, economy, and education.

December 14th, 1846
p.1 Packing of cotton into Southern steamers in U.S
p.2 [Richard] Dana’s before the mast shews discipline in a republic
p.3 Mexico compared by Times to life in inferior animals
p.3 [Luigi] Lambruschini & [Tommaso Pasquale] Gizzi
p.4 Barley of Catacombs of Egypt
p.5 Nelumbium, vegetating after seed 100 y[ea]rs old
p.6 Sunday Schools, Sir H[enry Robert] Dukinfield
p.8 Assoc[iatio]n of lawyers in U.S s[ai]d to be formed to find flaws in estate
p.8 Adm[ira]l Sheriff on flogging navy & of slavery in U.S
p.10 Dress, N.Y French taste will improve the U.S
p.10 Costly orders of Americans at Lyons
p.10 Indian rubber tubes in carriages
p.10 English choice of Ambassadors to U.S from Mexico etc.
p.12 Desire of poor hold Union together
p.12 Capibara [sic Capybara] Zo[ological] Gardens
p.12 Wandering Jew
p.14 [Richard] Dana before the mast – discipline
p.15 [G] Michelin’s letters, corals, crag
p.18 Steamer speed increasing as coal less
p.18 Falconer on Fossil Elephant, Brit[ish] Mus[eum]
p.20 Waterhouse, Stonesfield, marsupials
p.22 U.S. affairs little thought of in Europe
p.24 E[dward] Forbes papers. Miocene Sea
p.25 Dome of State house, [Richard] Dana before mass
p.25 Radiation of railways from Boston
p.26 Deweys work. References, Democracy
p.28 [Dewey] books fewer in taverns in Engl[an]d
p.28 [Dewey] guides
p.28 Division of property not in U.S as France
p.30 Dewey – health – children
p.30 Clergy & secular teacher
p.34 Dewey – church – scorn – Fanaticism
p.34 [Dewey] Sunday recreations
p.36 [Dewey] smoking in Switzerland no chewing
p.38 Advertizements, cost of in U.S
p.38 Dewey Dickens – sign of cross
p.40 [Dewey] religion – pictures
p.40 Harvey corresp[ondan]t of L[or]d Landsdowne (of N.Y)
p.40 England draw backs compared to U.S. Gain
p.42 Dewey – Slavery
p.44 [Dewey] dancing and Music
p.47 [Christian Charles Josias von] Bunsen on Seopolini at Rome [Sepolcro degli Scipioni]
p.48 [Christian] Bunsen & [Henry] Milman on Chronology
p.49 Dewey, Steam-craft on U.S. rivers
p.49 [Dewey] Economy in Engl[an]d – loafers in U.S
p.49 [Dewey] living in country Ho[use] sleepy in place
p.50 [Dewey] rank in Engl[an]d – slaves, U.S.
p.50 Influence of Easopian [sic Aesopian] ignorance into U.S.
p.52 Nechers & Condes [Auguste?] Bravard on
p.54 Channing Poetry & Religion aim at spiritualizing man
p.56 Quakers Philadelphia, Conrad
p.56 [Honoré Gabriel Riqueti] Mirabeau on Martyrdom
p.56 Fraccus rhyming w[ith] Bacchus, Barnes
p.58 Darwin on Atlantic no Coral in
p.58 Sea-serpent Dr Hussey on ([Joseph Dalton] Hooker)
p.59 [James] Morgan [of] Tivoli Ho[use] Cork Address
p.60 Chronology of Jew sacred 7000
p.60 [Chronology] of Hales, [Henry] Milman on
p.62 [Chronology] Menes of Egypt of [Christian] Bunsen
p.62 Single origin by man favoured by tracking back language to two
p.62 L Rev[erend] on Lyell’s Travels in Am[erica] ?
p.63 Martyrs for scientific truth. Casuistical excuses ag[ains]t
p.65 E[lie] [sic Élie] De Beaumont sudden elevation
p.67 [William Ellery] Channing, Milton, Calvanism [sic Calvinism]
p.67 [William Ellery Channing] Ch[urch] system stereotyped, lay-teachers
p.67 Maid of Man God’s greatest work
p.68 [Henry] Hallam’s breakfast [Thomas] Macaulay on Dickens, Tacitus, Hannibal
p.69 M Grimblot – address – on deluge
p.72 [Henry Hallam] on religion – Strauss – Eugene Sue
p.74 [Hallam] democracy & religion thralldom
p.76 [Hallam] prejudice in Engl[an]d ag[ains]t the U.S
p.78 [Thomas] Macaulay on Sir Claud. Hunter & Pitt
p.80 American Literature injured by English
p.82 Grimblot – money less necessary in France than in U.S
p.82 Tacitus on buried cities
p.84 Modern Greek, H[enry] Hallam
p.84 Latin & Greek from the Sanscrit
p.86 Celibacy of French Roman clergy
p.86 Liberty in democracy, less Gimblot
p.88 Goethe sh[oul]d be Goethins
p.89 Prestwich address
p.90 [William Ellery] Channing on Martyrs
p.91 American reprint of C[harles] Dickens in Tribune N.Y
p.92 Geol[og]y contraction of granite, basalt etc.
p.92 Sidereal motion, how hand of clock
p.93 [Richard] Dana before mast reading Woodstock
p.94 [William Ellery] Channing on Napoleon, aiming at feudalism
p.96 U.S. future power & literary rank [William Ellery] Channing on Napol[eon] etc
p.98 [William Ellery Channing] Priestly power
p.102 [Channing] influence of good writers
p.104 [Channing] Judiciary an U.S.
p.108 [Channing] Catholics asceticism etc.
p.110 [Channing] Sermons soporific – Calvinism
p.110 [Channing] refinement in N[orth] England
p.110 [Channing] fear of investigation
p.110 [Channing] quotes harmony of sects
p.116 [Channing] free trade – cui bono philosophy
p.117 [Channing] Addresses reform to p[eople] of