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Charles Lyell and Gideon Mantell, 1821-1852: Their Quest for Elite

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Charles Lyell and Gideon Mantell, 1821-1852: Their Quest for Elite CHAPTER THREE THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE GEOLOGICAL WORK CARRIED OUT BY MANTELL, LYELL, AND MEMBERS OF THE IDENTIFIED ELITE The geological work of the members of council identified in the two final screening tests, as well as that of the selected exceptions, Greenough and Phillips, is examined here with the aim of demonstrating that the principal geological work of each of the elite geologists encompassed a distinct area or segment of the discipline, including distinctive methodologies and practices, where they were regarded as the leading authorities, or exponents, by their peers. The analyses of the nature, scope, and importance of the work of the identified 15 geologists is carried out on a decade-by-decade basis, enabling trends to be detected and related to findings from the other main chapters. Consequently, this chapter contains a considerable amount of detailed. material. Particular emphasis is given to the geological investigations of Mantell and Lyell. Reviews of the literature relating to the geological work carried out during the 1820s, 1830s and 1840s are also carried out on a decade-by-decade basis; they are included in the respective studies of the identified geologists, since significant segments of the necessary analyses have been at least partly covered in the secondary literature. This observation particularly applies to important detailed studies on the stratigraphic investigations of Murchison and Sedgwick.1 The relevant literature on Lyell’s work is also considerable. The geological publications of the identified geologists provide the main focus for the analyses in this chapter. Since there were often considerable delays between the reading and publishing of GSL papers during the period 1820-1840, the reference date for all papers discussed is the year in which they were read. 1 See M.J.S. Rudwick, The Great Devonian Controversy: The Shaping of Scientific Knowledge among Gentlemanly Specialists, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1985, and J.A. Secord, Controversy in Victorian Geology: The Cambrian-Silurian Dispute, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1986. 62 3.1 THE CONCEPT OF A GEOLOGICAL DOMAIN Because of the proprietorial overtones of the concept, the term ‘domain’ has been selected in preference to alternatives such as territory, province, area, or cognitive field, which have less possessive connotations. Several other aspects are worth noting. First, the existence of personal ‘geological domains’ was usually tacitly and informally acknowledged by each practitioner’s geological peers, but rarely codified. One instance, however, appears in Conybeare’s 1822 paper on the Ichthyosaurus and Plesiosaurus,2 in which he apologised for “intruding on the province of the comparative anatomist” [Sir Everard Home (1756-1832)]. Morrell offers another example, “As early as 1835 Colby had assured Murchison that the [Geological] survey would not trespass on Murchison’s ‘district’ for at least four years”.3 Another feature concerns the various phases in the development sequence of each domain. In the first stage, a new field of geological investigation or interpretation needs to be identified and instigated. This can be achieved by the geologist serendipitously, or from analysing particular situations and identifying potential opportunities. Sedgwick was in no doubt about Murchison’s luck in ‘discovering’ what came to be called Silurian strata on the Welsh borderland in 1831, and wrote to him as follows after reading and disagreeing with Murchison’s version of events: Buckland you told me, gave you your line of march. It was rich in organics and abounded by igneous rocks; and you told me, by letter, that your main object was to see the pranks the igneous rocks were playing. Starting there without any anticipation of what has turned up, you stumbled upon a rich field and have since gathered an ample harvest after enormous labours.4 2 W.D. Conybeare, ‘Additional Notices on the Fossil Genera Ichthyosaurus and Plesiosaurus’, TGSL, 1822, 1, pp. 103-123 on p. 123. 3 J.B. Morrell, ‘London Institutions and Lyell’s Career: 1820-41’, The British Journal for the History of Science, 1976, 32, pp. 132-146 on p. 141 (note 45), where the quoted extract is in a letter from Buckland to Murchison, 12 March 1835, Devon Record Office, D.138 M/F 221. 4 H.S. Torrens, ‘The scientific ancestry and historiography of The Silurian System’, Journal of the Geological Society of London, 1990, 147, pp. 657-662 on p. 660; quoting from Sedgwick to Murchison, 25 January 1836, Geological Society Archives, M/S11/96b. 63 In contrast to the claimed fortuitous manner in which Murchison initially stumbled across his Silurian domain, Lyell was very much a proponent of the analytical approach. In a letter written to Mantell on 23 March 1829, Lyell identified a major geological opportunity for Mantell to exploit and thereby gain the fame he yearned for. In effect, Lyell set out a ‘career blue-print’ for Mantell to follow. In writing this letter, Lyell indirectly revealed himself to be a master in the art of fashioning a geological career. The relevant section of this letter, omitted by Katherine Lyell in her Life, Letters and Journals of Sir Charles Lyell,5 is set down below: Now that Mantellias are becoming numerous and other honours you must keep up to your reputation which is high by confining your attention & concentrating it in future on that department in Geol.y where you are strongest & least in danger of being rivalled. I feel my own honour a little compromised in the affair, as a friend of mine had the impudence at the Soc.y on Friday to call you as he addressed another celebrated geologist ‘the man whom Lyell here & some folks abroad choose to make much of’ – of course in private conversation; in a coterie of which I was one. Now, I have sworn with myself that you shall show them ere many years are over who & what you are & put to the blush the jealous unwillingness which most metropolitan monopolists in Science both in France & here exhibit towards all such as happen not to breathe their own exclusive atmosphere. But you must concentrate. Cut Botany, except as a collector. Give up all ideas of a popular book on Wonders of Geol.y which would yield cash only. Of course you will not attempt to tilt with Fitton & me ‘on the general principles of Geol.y’ which we mean soon (mine will be soon) to give you. After all my travelling & reading I find it too much to dare & only excusable when I measure my strength against others & not with the subject. But from this moment resolve to bring out a general work on ‘British fossil reptiles & fish’ – Clift has not time & never will have – Buckland is divided amongst a 100 things & no anatomist. Conybeare [has] no time to devote himself to such a branch. Cuvier can not come to fossil fish in 4 or 5 years & must then quote you. His new book on fish enables you to start fair with others as to modern fish. Your book may be made popular even & contain recent zoological geology like Cuvier’s last. Our fossil fish lie within small compass as yet. You must run up often to town. After you have worked quietly to the point for a year & ½ or more, then out with a prodromus à la Adolphe B.[rongniart] Fish & reptiles will then be sent & lent in abundance from all Museums. You must purchase some from Lyme Regis & 5 K.M. Lyell (ed.), Life, Letters, and Journals of Sir Charles Lyell, Bart., author of ‘Principles of Geology &c’, 2 vols, Murray, London, 1881. 64 many books & say nothing for a while. By this you may render yourself truly great which without much travelling you will never become in general geoly. The field is yours – but might not remain open many years. It is worthy of ambition & the only one which in an equally short time you could make your own in England for ever.6 Lyell’s advice concerning the identification and delineation of a new geological domain embraces a combination of the principles of war and a strategic business plan. Its essence can be summed up as follows: · Analyse your strengths and weaknesses. · Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents to determine potential opportunities. · Develop a clearly defined goal; but do not compete with your mentor (Lyell !). · Build on your strengths. Maintain and develop your alliances. · Obtain the necessary resources to achieve your goal and work secretly until a suitable base has been established. · Attack when ready; issue a prodromus; secure your reputation. Lyell’s approach also reveals another characteristic of the first stage in establishing a geological domain: a penchant for secrecy, so that a head- start can be made, and potential competitors forestalled. Lyell also practised what he preached. After outlining to Mantell some aspects of his joint scheme with Deshayes to classify the Tertiary shells of the various European basins, Lyell gave the following admonition: No-one but yourself & Deshayes is privy to these state secrets as yet & till I get in further I have no wish to advantage them. I treat you in this request as a friend sans ceremony.7 The second or middle step in the fashioning of a geological domain is characterised by establishing priority for the research claims in the particular investigative field. It is at this stage that informal proprietary 6 CL to GAM, 23 March 1829, Mantell mss, ATL-NZ, Folder 62. (Supp. Vol.-Letter 55). 7 CL to GAM, 24 February 1829, Mantell mss, ATL-NZ, Folder 62. (Supp. Vol.-Letter 53). 65 rights are acknowledged and barriers of entry erected by virtue of the head- start obtained and priority secured.
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