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On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1860.
Details
DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809-1882)
On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1860.
Second edition of 'the most important single work in science' (Dibner). Darwin’s historic achievement with the Origin lay in making the concept of evolution acceptable to the scientific community by cogently arguing for the existence of a viable mechanism – natural selection – by which new species evolve over vast quantities of time. Following enormous success of the November 1859 first edition, which sold out on the day of publication, John Murray asked Darwin to start revisions for a second edition immediately. ‘The new edition’, as Darwin wrote to Asa Gray on 21 December 1859, ‘is only a reprint, yet I have made a few important corrections’, namely replacing the misprint ‘speceis’ and diluting the whale-bear story, the meaning of which had been widely misunderstood. ‘The second edition, which is not so-called on the title page, was published, in the form in which it is usually seen, on January 7th, 1860. Three thousand copies were printed, perhaps including the few … which have 1859 on the title page [described as the second edition, first issue]; this was the largest printing of any edition or issue in Darwin’s lifetime. It can be recognised immediately by the date, by the words ‘FIFTH THOUSAND’, and the correct spelling of ‘LINNEAN’ on the title page’ (Freeman, p.78). Freeman 376.
Octavo-in-12s (198 x 123mm). Half-title, folding lithographic diagram, 32pp. of publisher's adverts at end dated January 1860 (9cm closed tear without loss into folding plate, occasional faint marginal spotting or staining). Original publisher's green cloth by Edmonds and Remnants [Freeman's variant a] (hinges expertly repaired and spine strengthened, extremities lightly rubbed, tail of spine fractionally more heavily with very minor fraying). Provenance: William Brown, bookseller, Edinburgh (bookseller’s ticket inside upper cover); Wheldon & Wesley, Natural History Booksellers and Publishers, Hitchin (1979 invoice tipped in and their price in ink inside upper cover).
On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1860.
Second edition of 'the most important single work in science' (Dibner). Darwin’s historic achievement with the Origin lay in making the concept of evolution acceptable to the scientific community by cogently arguing for the existence of a viable mechanism – natural selection – by which new species evolve over vast quantities of time. Following enormous success of the November 1859 first edition, which sold out on the day of publication, John Murray asked Darwin to start revisions for a second edition immediately. ‘The new edition’, as Darwin wrote to Asa Gray on 21 December 1859, ‘is only a reprint, yet I have made a few important corrections’, namely replacing the misprint ‘speceis’ and diluting the whale-bear story, the meaning of which had been widely misunderstood. ‘The second edition, which is not so-called on the title page, was published, in the form in which it is usually seen, on January 7th, 1860. Three thousand copies were printed, perhaps including the few … which have 1859 on the title page [described as the second edition, first issue]; this was the largest printing of any edition or issue in Darwin’s lifetime. It can be recognised immediately by the date, by the words ‘FIFTH THOUSAND’, and the correct spelling of ‘LINNEAN’ on the title page’ (Freeman, p.78). Freeman 376.
Octavo-in-12s (198 x 123mm). Half-title, folding lithographic diagram, 32pp. of publisher's adverts at end dated January 1860 (9cm closed tear without loss into folding plate, occasional faint marginal spotting or staining). Original publisher's green cloth by Edmonds and Remnants [Freeman's variant a] (hinges expertly repaired and spine strengthened, extremities lightly rubbed, tail of spine fractionally more heavily with very minor fraying). Provenance: William Brown, bookseller, Edinburgh (bookseller’s ticket inside upper cover); Wheldon & Wesley, Natural History Booksellers and Publishers, Hitchin (1979 invoice tipped in and their price in ink inside upper cover).
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