as the friendship maintained to the end between
these two leaders of thought--free as their intercourse was from any
smallest trace of self-seeking or jealousy. When in 1874 I spent some
time with Lyell in his Forfarshire home, a communication from Darwin was
always an event which made a "red-letter day," as Lyell used to say;
and he gave me many indications in his conversation of how strongly he
relied upon the opinion of Darwin--more indeed than on the judgment
of any other man--this confidence not being confined to questions of
science, but extending to those of morals, politics, and religion.

I have heard those who knew Lyell only slightly, speak of his manners
as cold and reserved. His complete absorption in his scientific work,
coupled with extreme short-sightedness, almost in the end amounting to
blindness, may have permitted those having but a casual acquaintance
with him to accept such a view. But those privileged to know him
intimately recognised the nobleness of his character and can realise
the justice and force of Hooker's words when he heard of his death: "My
loved, my best friend, for well nigh forty years of my life. The most
generous sharer of my own and my family's hopes, joys and sorrows, whose
affection for me was truly that of a father and brother combined."

But the strongest of all testimonies to the grandeur of Lyell's
character is the lifelong devotion to him of such a man as Darwin.
Before the two met, we find Darwin constantly writing of facts and
observations that he thinks "will interest Mr Lyell"; and when they came
together the mutual esteem rapidly ripened into the warmest affection.
Both having the advantage of a moderate independence, permitting of an
entire devotion of their lives to scientific research, they had much in
common, and the elder man--who had already achieved both scientific and
literary distinction--was able to give good advice and friendly help
to the younger one. The warmth of their friendship comes out very
strikingly in their correspondence. When Darwin first conceived the idea
of writing a book on the "species question," soon after his return from
the voyage, it was "by following the example of Lyell in Geology" that
he hoped to succeed ("L.L." I. page 83.); when in 1844, Darwin had
finished his first sketch of the work, and, fearing that his life might
not be spared to complete his great undertaking, committed the care of
it in a touching letter to his wife, it was