Charles Lyell (1797–1875)

The work of Charles Lyell played a major part in developing Darwin’s scientific understanding: ‘I am become a zealous disciple of Mr. Lyells views…I am tempted to carry parts to a greater extent, even than he does’.  Lyell’s Principles of Geology provided Darwin with new ways of looking at the world, arguing against the ‘catastrophist’ interpretation of geology, and advocating that all observed phenomena could be explained by slow and gradual change, as a result of geological processes such as volcanism, sedimentation, erosion, subsidence and uplift over sufficient time. During the voyage, Darwin was well placed to test Lyell’s assertions with firsthand observations made on a far larger scale that Lyell was able to do.