Search: Lyell, Charles in correspondent 
1830-1839 in date 
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From:
Sir Charles Lyell
To:
Sir John Herschel
Date:
[24 May 1837]
Source of text:
RS:HS 11.422 & 450
Summary:

Charles Babbage will publish JH's volcanic theory in Ninth Bridgewater Treatise, together with JH's letter to R. I. Murchison. William Whewell read both at Geological Society. Babbage wants to compare JH's theory with passage from Bishop [Samuel] Butler. Whewell's notion of new species. Charles Darwin's new theory of coral islands is forcing CL to give up CL's volcanic crater theory. [Letter continues 28 May.] Sends copy of Babbage's Treatise with quotes from JH. News of Charles Wheatstone's submarine telegraph and David Brewster's proof that diamond is of vegetable origin.

Contributor:
John Herschel Project
From:
Sir John Herschel
To:
Sir Charles Lyell
Date:
[12 June 1837]
Source of text:
APS B.D25.L.2 (C: RS:HS 25.5.8) Cannon (1961), 311-14 inc)
Summary:

Ideas expressed by JH in his previous letter to CL (see JH's 1836-2-20) about secular variations of isothermal surfaces of the interior of the earth were similar to ideas expressed by Charles Babbage in a paper to the Geological Society. This was drawn to JH's attention by CL and by R. I. Murchison. JH argues that he did not know of Charles Babbage's paper, and goes on to point out how JH's ideas differ. Concludes with mention of having re-discovered the sixth satellite of Saturn, not seen since its discovery by JH's father, William.

Contributor:
John Herschel Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
30 July 1837
Source of text:
The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections (Lyell Collection Coll-203/A1/69: 140–2)
Summary:

Galapagos land birds and reptiles.

No two naturalists agree on any fundamental idea [of species]. "Everything is arbitrary."

Has been with Richard Owen going over the S. American fossils.

Has worked out the non-relation between animals’ bulk and luxuriance of vegetation.

The horse once common on the Pampas. The mystery of the extinction of these animals.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
29 Aug and 5 Sept 1837
Source of text:
K. M. Lyell ed. 1881 2: 20–3
Summary:

Syenitic granite from Norway carried as far as Osnabruck.

Has met warm reception in Germany.

Leopold von Buch mistaken in believing that granite overlies transition rock in Norway. Granite sends veins into transition and gneiss.

Has been examining fossil shells of Crag with Heinrich Beck. Beck admits some shells are of species still living.

CL still believes Eocene, Miocene, and Pliocene are satisfactory divisions of Tertiary epoch.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
[19 Dec 1837]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.9)
Summary:

Responds to Lyell’s query [missing] about northern and southern limits of coral islands of the Pacific. Warns that coral islands are much more thinly distributed than people realise and cites examples. Comments on views of Matthew Flinders. Reading work of É[lie] de B[eaumont]. Notes difficulty of setting an east-west boundary to coral islands.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Lyell
To:
Mary Somerville
Date:
1838
Source of text:
MSL 6 / 144, Dep. c. 371, Bod, MS
Summary:

No summary available.

Contributor:
Brigitte Stenhouse
From:
William Fullerton Lindsay-Carnegie
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
[14 Feb 1838]
Source of text:
DAR 170: 3
Summary:

Impressed by CD’s theory [of earthworm action].

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Robert Bastard James
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
[c. 10 Mar 1838]
Source of text:
DAR 168: 43
Summary:

Sends four samples of dust blown on board his ship from the coast of Africa, nearly 400 miles away, during four days in March 1838. Gives careful descriptions and relates the tests he made of it [see Collected papers 1: 200].

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin; William Buckland; Adam Sedgwick; John Phillips; William Whewell; Roderick Impey Murchison, 1st baronet; Charles Lyell, 1st baronet; Charles Stokes; William John Hamilton; Edward Stanley; Richard Owen; William Clift; Charles Babbage; John Bostock; Peter Mark Roget; John Taylor; Spencer Joshua Alwyne Compton, 2d Marquess of Northampton; William John Broderip
To:
Thomas Spring Rice
Date:
[before 7 July 1838]
Source of text:
House of Commons papers; accounts and papers, 1837/38, XXXVI, 307
Summary:

Express their concern that the offer for sale to the British Museum, by G. A. Mantell and Thomas Hawkins, of two valuable collections, has been declined.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
9 Aug [1838]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.10)
Summary:

Comments on receiving copy of Lyell’s Elements [of geology]. Much is new to CD, and he is copying out notes and references.

Criticises geological work of John Phillips.

Describes expedition to Glen Roy, about which he is writing a paper ["Parallel roads of Glen Roy" (1839), Collected papers 1: 87–137].

Enjoys the Athenaeum Club.

Criticises entomological work of F. W. Hope.

Asks Lyell to obtain for him a copy of barometric readings made at Leith.

Asks him to ascertain altitude of several Scottish lochs.

Comments on FitzRoy’s character.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
6 and 8 Sept 1838
Source of text:
K. M. Lyell 1881 2: 43
Summary:

Would like to talk over Salisbury Craigs with CD.

CL’s father enthusiastic over Journal of researches.

Comments on Élie de Beaumont’s theory of mountain elevation.

Asks about parallel lines of upheaval and depression in the Pacific.

Glad CD likes Athenaeum Club.

Comments on methods of work.

Invites CD to visit Kinnordy.

Defends BAAS: "in this country no importance is attached to any body of men who do not make occasional demonstrations of their strength in public meetings".

With respect to Glen Roy, notes existence of deposits destitute of shells.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
[14] Sept [1838]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.11)
Summary:

Comments on an article in Edinburgh Review [by David Brewster, 67 (1838): 271–308] on Comte’s Philosophie positive.

Discusses falsity of Élie de Beaumont’s views of contemporaneous parallel lines of elevation and subsidence.

Owen’s views of relationship of reptiles to birds.

On "question of species" CD has filled notebook after notebook with facts, "which begin to group themselves clearly under sub-laws".

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
[12 Nov 1838]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.12)
Summary:

Announces his engagement to Emma Wedgwood.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
[c. 9 Jan 1839]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.15)
Summary:

Discusses his Glen Roy paper [(1839), Collected papers 1: 87–137], which he is sending to CL.

Remarks on Charles MacLaren’s treatment of alluvium. Comments on alluvial action in Lochaber.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project