Anatomy of a Notebook: Charles Lyell’s words on vanished worlds

A discussion on Charles Lyell’s notebooks’ significance, internal workings, and composition; including the work required to preserve them for the future.

Charles Lyell (1797-1875) was one of the world’s leading geologists. His uniquely important 294 notebooks, which date from 1818-1874, document his travels and scientific observations. The notebooks of Sir Charles Lyell include sketches, preliminary thoughts, and discussions with peers – many with his friend Charles Darwin – and have notes on climate change and the age of the earth. To Lyell, his notebooks were vital to exploring and refining his ideas in a crucial period for modern science.

External resources on this topic

https://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet

https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/resources/85702