Like Grote and Lyell, Darwin anchored his account of the distant past in a careful analysis of “present facts” and “causes now in operation.” There is no reason to link his approach directly to Grote or the Benthamian circle. We have already noted Huxley’s observation about the unity in method in Grote’s History and Lyell’s Principles. And we know Darwin carefully studied Lyell’s Principles aboard the Beagle.
