Heroes of science

by P. Martin Duncan

I am at this moment arrived here, after passing three delightful days at Count de Montlosier’s, an old man of seventy-four, in full possession of faculties of no mean order, and of an imagination as lively as a poet’s of twenty-five. I stayed a day longer than the Murchisons, as I was determined to have one more trial to find a junction between the granite of the Puy chain and the fresh water formations of the Limagne, and I actually found it; and my day’s work alone will throw a new light on the history of this remarkable country. I believe most of the granite to have made its appearance at the surface at a later period than even the fresh water tertiary beds have, though they contain the remains of quadrupeds. The scenery of Mont Dore is that of an Alpine valley, deep, with tall fir woods, high aiguilles above, half covered with snow, and cataracts and waterfalls. A watering-place with good views at the bottom of the valley. I shall send Hall back from here, as, although he has been useful, I do not think the advantage will overbalance the additional expense. Le Coq has promised some plants for certain, and Hall has done pretty well in insects.

Believe me, your affectionate son,

Charles Lyell.

Lyell was not sparing of criticism so far as his friend Murchison’s habits were concerned, as may be gleaned in the following letter:—

TO HIS MOTHER.

Bains de Mont Dore, Auvergne.
June 11th, 1828.

My dear mother,

We have been so actively employed, I may really say so laboriously, that I assure you I can with great difficulty find a moment to write a letter. This morning we got off, after breakfast at five o’clock, on horseback, to return from St. Amand to this: arrived at seven o’clock. But one day we rode fifty-five miles, which I shall take care shall be the last experiment of that kind, as even the old Leicestershire fox-hunter was nearly done up with it. But I have really gained strength so much, that I believe I and my eyes were never in such condition before; and I am sure that six hours in bed, which is all we allow, and exercise all day long for the body, and geology for the mind, with plenty of the vin du pays, which is good here, is the best thing that can be invented in this world for my health and happiness. Murchison must have been intended for a very strong man, if the sellers of drugs had not enlisted him into their service, so that he depends on them for his existence to a frightful extent, yet withal he can get through what would knock up most men who never need the doctor. He has only given in one day and a half yet. On one occasion we were on an expedition together, and as a stronger dose was necessary than he had with him, I was not a little alarmed at finding there was no pharmacy in the place, but at last we went to a nunnery, where Mdlle. la Supérieuse sold all medicines without profit—positively a young, clever, and rather good-looking lady, who hoped my friend would think better of it, as the quantity would kill six Frenchmen. M. was cured, and off the next morning, as usual. The mischief is, that he has naturally a weak though a sound stomach, and if he possessed a more than ordinary share of self-denial, and was very prudent, and after much exercise did not eat a good dinner when set before him—if, in short, he would take the advice which many find it easy to give him, he would be well. He has much talent for original observation in geology, and is indefatigable, so that we make much way, and are thrown so much in the way of the people, high and low, by means of our letters of introduction, and our pursuits, that I am getting large materials, which I hope I shall find means of applying. Indeed, I really think I am most profitably employed on this tour, and as long as things go on as well as they do now, I should be very sorry to leave off; particularly as, from our plan of operation, which is that of comparison of the structure of different parts of the country, we work on with a continually increasing power, and in the last week have with the same exertion done at least twice as much in the way of discovery, and in enlarging our knowledge of what others had done, as in any preceding. I expect it will be at least three weeks before we can have done with Central France, and then we hope to work south towards Nice, down the Rhone, keeping always in analogous formations, and then to the Vicentin, if possible, though this is very uncertain, as we can never see far before us, either as to time or place, directing our course according to the new lights we are gaining.

We shall leave this place in a day or two. I like it well enough, but it is certainly too early in the season to enjoy it; and Mrs. Murchison suffers from the cold and damp, though she has not often complained in this tone.

Mont Dore is partially covered with snow, and almost always with clouds, and the transition in coming up here from the low country is violent. Yesterday we rode up from the climate of Italy to that of Scotland. It is the most varied and picturesque country imaginable. There are innumerable old ruins for sketches, with lakes, cascades, and different kinds of wood, so that we wonder more and more that the English have not found it out. The peasantry are very obliging, industrious, well-fed, and clothed, and to all appearance are the very happiest I ever saw. We have crossed the chain of Puys, the Limagne, and the valleys leading from Mont Dore, in all directions. The people in the higher regions begin to talk French—at least there are generally some who have served in the armies, and their children catch some from them. Their own language has a good deal of the old Provençal in it, and a great many of the terminations are Italian. In short, we often find a demand in Italian succeed when French misses fire; but all our ammunition often fails to produce any impression. The population is dense, and bears no other resemblance to other parts of France that ever I saw. In the mountains a large portion do not believe that Napoleon is dead, especially the old soldiers. There is an almost entire want of gentry here, but as it does not arise from absenteeism, but from the great sub-division of property, it evidently produces no ill effects on the character and well-being of the people.