Give two examples of scientists whose work laid the foundation for Darwin’s theory of evolution?

Question

Here is the whole question. Darwin’s work built on the ideas of earlier scientists. Give two examples of scientists whose work laid the foundation for Darwin’s theory of evolution. Also, describe the nature of their contribution and how it affected the development of Darwin’s theory.

Answer 1

"The first systematic presentation of evolution was put forth by the French scientist Jean Baptiste de Lamarck (1774-1829) in 1809. Lamarck described a mechanism by which he believed evolution could occur. This mechanism was known as "the inheritance of acquired characteristics."
http://bioweb.cs.earlham.edu/9-12/evolution/HTML/theory.html

"Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913), had not come up with the same idea in 1858. While living in the Malay Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, Wallace formulated his theory and wrote it in an essay"
http://bioweb.cs.earlham.edu/9-12/evolution/HTML/natural.html

Answer 2

Malthus, Lyell, and Wallace. There are references to evolution in the poetry of Erasmus Darwin, Charles's grandfather, but there is no indication that the poetry had any influence on him.

Answer 3

xj looks like Jack with a new name.

Answer 4

why?