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Charles Lyell Quotes - Page 2

All Quotes Earth Past Science
The earth's becoming at a particular period the residence of human beings, was an era in the moral, not in the physical world, that our study and contemplation of the earth, and the laws which govern its animate

The earth's becoming at a particular period the residence of human beings, was an era in the moral, not in the physical world, that our study and contemplation of the earth, and the laws which govern its animate productions, ought no more to be considered in the light of a disturbance or deviation from the system, than the discovery of the satellites of Jupiter should be regarded as a physical event in the history of those heavenly bodies, however influential they may have become from that time in advancing the progress of sound philosophy among men.

Charles Lyell
Philosophy, Science, Men
Charles Lyell, M. J. S. Rudwick (1990). “Principles of Geology”, p.163, University of Chicago Press

Probably there was a beginning-it is a metaphysical question, worthy a theologian-species have begun and ended-but the analogy is faint and distant.

Charles Lyell
Science, Analogies, Metaphysical

I long ago suggested the hypothesis, that in the basin of the Thames there are indications of a meeting in the Pleistocene period of a northern and southern fauna.

Charles Lyell
Long Ago, Southern, Thames
Charles Lyell (1873). “The Geological Evidence of the Antiquity of Man with an Outline of Glacial and Post-tertiary Geology and Remarks on the Origin of Species with Special Reference to Mans First Appearance on the Earth by Charles Lyell”, p.202

It has long been a fact familiar to geologists, that, both on the east and west coasts of the central part of Scotland, there are lines of raised beaches, containing marine shells of the same species as those now inhabiting the neighbouring sea.

Charles Lyell
Beach, Marine, Scotland
Sir Charles Lyell (1863). “The Geological Evidence of the Antiquity of Man”, p.47

Such discoveries have led me, and other geologists, to reconsider the evidence previously derived from caves brought forward in proof of the high antiquity of Man.

Charles Lyell
Men, Discovery, Caves
Charles Lyell (2005). “The Geological Evidence of Man”, p.49, Cosimo, Inc.

That ere long, now that curiosity has been so much excited on this subject, some human remains will be detected in the older alluvium of European valleys, I confidently expect.

Charles Lyell
Europe, Long, Curiosity
Charles Lyell (2005). “The Geological Evidence of Man”, p.114, Cosimo, Inc.

No tools have yet been met with in any of the gravels occurring at the higher levels of the valley of the Seine; but no importance can be attached to this negative fact, as so little search has yet been made for them.

Charles Lyell
Facts, Negative, Valleys
Charles Lyell (2005). “The Geological Evidence of Man”, p.119, Cosimo, Inc.

In the course of this short tour, I became convinced that we must turn to the New World if we wish to see in perfection the oldest monuments of the earth's history, so far at least as relates to its earliest inhabitants.

Charles Lyell
Science, Perfection, Wish
Sir Charles Lyell (1845). “Travels in North America, in the Years 1841-2: With Geological Observations on the United States, Canada, and Nova Scotia”, p.15

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