oticed, as I thought
it might have been a sheep track)--it might yet have been formed on the
ice-lake theory by two independent glaciers going across the Spean, but
it is very improbable that two such immense ones should not have been
united into one. Chambers, unfortunately, does not seem to have visited
the head of the Spey, and I have written to propose joining funds and
sending some young surveyor there. If my letter is published in the
"Scotsman," how Buckland (523/2. Professor Buckland may be described as
joint author, with Agassiz, of the Glacier theory.), as I have foreseen,
will crow over me: he will tell me he always knew that I was wrong, but
now I shall have rather ridiculously to say, "but I am all right again."

I have been a good deal interested in Miller (523/3. Hugh Miller's
"First Impressions of England and its People," London, 1847.), but I
find it not quick reading, and Emma has hardly begun it yet. I rather
wish the scenic descriptions were shorter, and that there was a little
less geologic eloquence.

Lyell's picture now hangs over my chimneypiece, and uncommonly glad I am
to have it, and thank you for it.

LETTER 524. TO C. LYELL. Down, September 6th [1861].

I think the enclosed is worth your reading. I am smashed to atoms about
Glen Roy. My paper was one long gigantic blunder from beginning to end.
Eheu! Eheu! (524/1. See "Life and Letters," I., pages 68, 69, also pages
290, 291.)

LETTER 525. TO C. LYELL. Down, September 22nd [1861].

I have read Mr. Jamieson's last letter, like the former ones, with very
great interest. (525/1. Mr. Jamieson visited Glen Roy in August 1861 and
in July 1862. His paper "On the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy, and their
Place in the History of the Glacial Period," was published in the
"Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society" in 1863, Volume XIX.,
page 235. His latest contribution to this subject was published in the
"Quarterly Journal," Volume XLVIII., page 5, 1892.) What a problem you
have in hand! It beats manufacturing new species all to bits. It would
be a great personal consolation to me if Mr. J. can admit the sloping
Spean terrace to be marine, and would remove one of my greatest
difficulties--viz. the vast contrast of Welsh and Lochaber valleys. But
then, as far as I dare trust my observations, the sloping terraces ran
far up the Roy valley, so as to reach not far below the lower shelf. If
the sloping fringes are marine and the shelves lacustrine