Part of Collection

Title

Notebook No.155

Creators/Contributors

Rights

Out of Copyright. Free use.

Collection

Papers of Sir Charles Lyell

Production Date

January 1848 - May 1848

Shelfmark (Identifier)

Coll-203/A1/155

Catalogue Record

https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/180313

Subjects

• Mississippi River (United States)
• Sea Monsters
• Sea Serpents
• Classical Civilisation
• Lectures

Description

This black notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s discussions, ideas, and recordings when in London, starting in January 1848 and including some focus on ’Americana’ before his second travels in American was published in 1849. The first pages (and from p 78] are notes on pages and references relating to the other American notebooks - which could be publishing related or organisational. It covers conversations, queries, and discussions he started in America including geological, political, and religious questions on the U.S, Malta, Greece, and specifically Mississippi. This notebook has detailed notes on geological features around America like glaciers, loess, and the Zeuglodon. Equally, Lyell has detailed notes on the Sea-Serpent (pages 44, 83, 90-98). Some of the key individuals he talks to and about include: Charles Darwin, Hugh Miller (Geologist), Sir John Ross (Naval Officer), Cotton Mather (Clergyman), Charles Kean (Actor) - he shares personal knowledge of Pierce Butler and Fanny Kemble - Gideon Mantell, and Edward Caswell (Clergyman and Author). This notebook has references to varied areas of literature and the arts, including the Wandering Jew which he takes interest in throughout many of his notebooks; MacPherson’s Ossian, and books on the U.S; and the painting: Hogarth's “Eleven days.”

Language

eng