Question: First and foremost, the German scholars influenced the way Charles Darwin thought, not the English. Well, that idea is debatable on what geographic you are. I am German; I will always claim my ancestral stamp on that matter. Erasmus was probably one of the first to influence Darwin, but it was Lyell and Humboldt that had the greatest impact. You will find parts of Humboldt's work in the "Origin of Species". Another person worth mentioning is Herbert Spencer. During Darwin's lifetime, Spencer published works that had the idea of natural selection. Darwin was not the person who had these ideas first, but he was the one who put it all together for public acceptance.
What are your thoughts in this discussion?