Argues for great age of earth before the Cambrian period. Opposes measuring age from secular cooling. Opposes Sir William Thomson. Lyell’s error on secular cooling.

Thanks for Moseley citation ["On the mechanical possibility of the descent of glaciers", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 17 (1869): 202–8].

In Edinburgh he feels out of touch with latest developments.

Thanks for abstract of Moseley’s paper on motion of glaciers [see 6599]. Reading it convinced him that Tyndall’s received view is wrong. Has formed a new view, which he has sent to Philosophical Magazine [4th ser. 37 (1869): 201–6].