acted as one of the honorary secretaries of the Geological
Society. I saw a great deal of Lyell. One of his chief
characteristics was his sympathy with the work of others, and I
was as much astonished as delighted at the interest which he
showed when, on my return to England, I explained to him my views
on coral reefs. This encouraged me greatly, and his advice and
example had much influence on me. During this time I saw also a
good deal of Robert Brown; I used often to call and sit with him
during his breakfast on Sunday mornings, and he poured forth a
rich treasure of curious observations and acute remarks, but they
almost always related to minute points, and he never with me
discussed large or general questions in science.

During these two years I took several short excursions as a
relaxation, and one longer one to the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy,
an account of which was published in the 'Philosophical
Transactions.' (1839, pages 39-82.) This paper was a great
failure, and I am ashamed of it. Having been deeply impressed
with what I had seen of the elevation of the land of South
America, I attributed the parallel lines to the action of the
sea; but I had to give up this view when Agassiz propounded his
glacier-lake theory. Because no other explanation was possible
under our then state of knowledge, I argued in favour of sea-
action; and my error has been a good lesson to me never to trust
in science to the principle of exclusion.

As I was not able to work all day at science, I read a good deal
during these two years on various subjects, including some
metaphysical books; but I was not well fitted for such studies.
About this time I took much delight in Wordsworth's and