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or described them。 He was too cautious to allow himself to write his first impressions in his Journal； and wisely waited till he could study his specimens under better conditions and with help from others on his return。 The extracts published from his correspondence with Henslow and others； while he was still abroad； showed； nevertheless； how great was the mass of observation； how suggestive and pregnant with results were the reasonings of the young geologist。
Two sets of these extracts from Darwin's letters to Henslow were printed while he was still abroad。 The first of these was the series of 〃Geological Notes made during a survey of the East and West Coasts of South America； in the years 1832； 1833； 1834 and 1835； with an account of a transverse section of the Cordilleras of the Andes between Valparaiso and Mendoza〃。 Professor Sedgwick； who read these notes to the Geological Society on November 18th； 1835； stated that 〃they were extracted from a series of letters （addressed to Professor Henslow）； containing a great mass of information connected with almost every branch of natural history；〃 and that he （Sedgwick） had made a selection of the remarks which he thought would be more especially interesting to the Geological Society。 An abstract of three pages was published in the 〃Proceedings of the Geological Society〃 （Vol。 II。 pages 210…12。）； but so unknown was the author at this time that he was described as F。 Darwin； Esq。； of St John's College； Cambridge〃！ Almost simultaneously （on November 16th； 1835） a second set of extracts from these lettersthis time of a general characterwere read to the Philosophical Society at Cambridge； and these excited so much interest that they were privately printed in pamphlet form for circulation among the members。
Many expeditions and 〃scientific missions〃 have been despatched to various parts of the world since the return of the 〃Beagle〃 in 1836； but it is doubtful whether any； even the most richly endowed of them； has brought back such stores of new information and fresh discoveries as did that little 〃ten…gun brig〃certainly no cabin or laboratory was the birth…place of ideas of such fruitful character as was that narrow end of a chart…room； where the solitary naturalist could climb into his hammock and indulge in meditation。
The third and most active portion of Darwin's career as a geologist was the period which followed his return to England at the end of 1836。 His immediate admission to the Geological Society； at the beginning of 1837； coincided with an important crisis in the history of geological science。
The band of enthusiasts who nearly thirty years before had inaugurated the Geological Societyweary of the fruitless conflicts between 〃Neptunists〃 and 〃Plutonists〃had determined to eschew theory and confine their labours to the collection of facts； their publications to the careful record of observations。 Greenough； the actual founder of the Society； was an ardent Wernerian； and nearly all his fellow…workers had come； more or less directly； under the Wernerian teaching。 Macculloch alone gave valuable support to the Huttonian doctrines； so far as they related to the influence of igneous activitybut the most important portion of the now celebrated 〃Theory of the Earth〃that dealing with the competency of existing agencies to account for changes in past geological timeswas ignored by all alike。 Macculloch's influence on the development of geology； which might have had far…reaching effects； was to a great extent neutralised by his peculiarities of mind and temper； and； after a stormy and troublous career； he retired from the society in 1832。 In all the writings of the great pioneers in English geology； Hutton and his splendid generalisation are scarcely ever referred to。 The great doctrines of Uniformitarianism； which he had foreshadowed； were completely ignored； and only his extravagances of 〃anti…Wernerianism〃 seem to have been remembered。
When between 1830 and 1832； Lyell； taking up the almost forgotten ideas of Hutton； von Hoff and Prevost； published that bold challenge to the Catastrophiststhe 〃Principles of Geology〃he was met with the strongest opposition； not only from the outside world； which was amused by his 〃absurdities〃 and shocked by his 〃impiety〃but not less from his fellow… workers and friends in the Geological Society。 For Lyell's numerous original observations； and his diligent collection of facts his contemporaries had nothing but admiration； and they cheerfully admitted him to the highest offices in the society； but they met his reasonings on geological theory with vehement opposition and his conclusions with coldness and contempt。
There is； indeed； a very striking parallelism between the reception of the 〃Principles of Geology〃 by Lyell's contemporaries and the manner in which the 〃Origin of Species〃 was met a quarter of a century later； as is so vividly described by Huxley。 （〃L。L。〃 II。 pages 179…204。） Among Lyell's fellow…geologists； two onlyG。 Poulett Scrope and John Herschel （Both Lyell and Darwin fully realised the value of the support of these two friends。 Scrope in his appreciative reviews of the 〃Principles〃 justly pointed out what was the weakest point； the inadequate recognition of sub… aerial as compared with marine denudation。 Darwin also admitted that Scrope had to a great extent forestalled him in his theory of Foliation。 Herschel from the first insisted that the leading idea of the 〃Principles〃 must be applied to organic as well as to inorganic nature and must explain the appearance of new species （see Lyell's 〃Life and Letters〃； Vol。 I。 page 467）。 Darwin tells us that Herschel's 〃Introduction to the Study of Natural Philosophy〃 with Humboldt's 〃Personal Narrative〃 〃stirred up in me a burning zeal〃 in his undergraduate days。 I once heard Lyell exclaim with fervour 〃If ever there was a heaven…born genius it was John Herschel！〃） declared themselves from the first his strong supporters。 Scrope in two luminous articles in the 〃Quarterly Review〃 did for Lyell what Huxley accomplished for Darwin in his famous review in the 〃Times〃； but Scrope unfortunately was at that time immersed in the stormy sea of politics； and devoted his great powers of exposition to the preparation of fugitive pamphlets。 Herschel； like Scrope； was unable to support Lyell at the Geological Society； owing to his absence on the important astronomical mission to the Cape。
It thus came about that； in the frequent conflicts of opinion within the walls of the Geological Society； Lyell had to bear the brunt of battle for Uniformitarianism quite alone； and it is to be feared that he found himself sadly overmatched when opposed by the eloquence of Sedgwick； the sarcasm of Buckland； and the dead weight of incredulity on the part of Greenough； Conybeare； Murchison and other members of the band of pioneer workers。 As time went on there is evidence that the opposition of De la Beche and Whewell somewhat relaxed； the brilliant 〃Paddy〃 Fitton （as his friends called him） was sometimes found in alliance with Lyell； but was characteristically apt to turn his weapon； as occasion served； on friend or foe alike； the amiable John Phillips 〃sat upon the fence。〃 Only when a