DARWIN, Charles (1809-82). The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex ... Eighth Thousand. London: John Murray, 1871. 2 volumes, 8°. Half title, wood-engraved illustrations, 16-pages of advertisements at the end of both vols. dated January 1872 (one advertisement leaf torn in vol. one, a few other short tears, occasional very light spotting). Original green cloth, covers ruled in blind, spine lettered and decorated in gilt (some light dust-soiling, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: W. J. Middleton, Magd: Coll: 1874 (signature on front free endpapers). FIRST EDITION, later issue with first word 'When' on p.297. Freeman 940; cf. Garrison-Morton 227; cf. Norman 599. "This is really two works. The first demolished the theory that the universe was created for Man, while in the second Darwin presented a mass of evidence in support of his earlier hypothesis regarding sexual selection" (GM). (2)