To J. D. Hooker   22 June [1876]1

My dear H.

I do not much like the enclosed. They sound to me like truckling to the parsons or to Westminster Abbey.2

Ever yours | C. Darwin

June 22d.

[Enclosure]

Beneath this stone are the remains of Sir Charles Lyell | Author of Principles of Geology3

Born 1797 | Died 1875.

The Search of Truth & love of Gods laws manifested in his works was the aim & occupation of his entire life—

or.

In whatever direction we pursue our researches whether in time or space, we discover everywhere the clear proofs of a Creative Intelligence and of His foresight wisdom & powers.

Principles of Geology4

(too much & too little!)

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from J. D. Hooker, 20 June 1876.
2
The enclosures are Katherine Murray Lyell’s suggestions for inscriptions on Charles Lyell’s memorial in Westminster Abbey; Hooker had asked for CD’s views on them (see letter from J. D. Hooker, 20 June 1876, and letter to J. D. Hooker, 21 June [1876]).
3
C. Lyell 1830–3. See letter from J. D. Hooker, 20 June 1876 and n. 2.
4
This quotation from C. Lyell 1830–3, 3: 384, was repeated in later editions. The original version has ‘power’, not ‘powers’; ‘time’ and ‘space’ are not italicised.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10543,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10543