Third edition, revised: the celebrated geologist's third major work, which went through three editions in the first year.

Third edition, revised: the celebrated geologist's third major work, which went through three editions in the first year.

Lyell gives a general survey of the arguments for man's early appearance on the earth based on archaeological evidence, giving support to Darwin's theory of the origin of species. A closed friend of Darwin's, he was one of the first scientists to support "On the Origin", though religious scruples prevented him embracing natural selection as the main motive force in evolution.