ly a very wonderful 'family likeness' to one another between the
forms in the several islands and between them all and the animals living
in the adjoining portion of the continent. Surely this could not be
accidental, but must indicate relationships due to descent from common
ancestors!

Charles Darwin returned to England in 1836, and at once made the
acquaintance of Lyell. He says in one place, 'I saw a great deal of
Lyell' and in another that 'I saw more of Lyell than of any other man,
both before and after my marriage.' In one of his letters he writes,
'You cannot conceive anything more thoroughly good natured than the
heart-and-soul manner in which he put himself in my place and thought
what would be best to do[105].' For two years Darwin was comparatively
free from the distressing malady which clouded so much of his after
life. And, during that time, he engaged very heartily with Lyell in
those combats at the Geological Society (of which he had become one of
the Secretaries) in which their joint views concerning the truth of
continuity or evolution in the inorganic world were defended against the
attacks of the militant catastrophists. Darwin, however, did not act on
the defensive alone, but brought forward a number of papers strongly
supporting his new friend's views.

There can be little doubt that, while thus engaged, and in constant
friendly intercourse with Lyell, Darwin must have felt--like other
earnest thinkers on geology at that day--that the principles they were
advocating of 'continuity' in the inorganic world must be equally
applicable to the organic world--and thus that the question of evolution
would acquire a new interest for him.

But it was undoubtedly the revision of the notes made on board the
_Beagle_, and the study of the specimens which had been sent home by him
from time to time, that produced the great determining influence on
Darwin's career. All through the voyage he had endeavoured, with as much
literary skill as he could command, to record with accuracy the
observations he made, and the conclusions to which, on careful
reflection, they seemed to point. And on his return to England, these
patiently written journals were revised and prepared for publication
forming that charming work _A Naturalist's Voyage. Journal of Researches
into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries visited during the
Voyage of H.M.S. 'Beagle' round the world._

As Darwin, with the specimens before him,