Handwritten in ink manuscript notes, includes some copy letters relating to Darwin and the critical reception of his Origins of Species. Subject matter includes basalt, oolite flora, protosaurus, archegosaurus, foraminifera, geological ages, Plato's ideas, creation speculations, intellect and development of humans, race, languages, submerged forests, the Dead Sea and the deluge, the existence of continents. Included is Lyell's own index. Written in flowing text, essay like, the index provides a shortened focussed summary - for example 'not all acorns become oaks'.
Lyell writes to Dr Hooker on December 19 1859 [page 57 onwards], just days after Darwin’s ‘Origin of the Species’ was published. It starts ‘I have just finished the reading of your splendid essay on the origin of the species’. Continuing on page 63 Lyell writes [Mary Lyell's writing, Lyell dictating] ‘The geological section is too short.’