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Property from a Private Charitable Trust
DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809-1882)
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. London: John Murray, 1859.
Details
DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809-1882)
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. London: John Murray, 1859.
First edition of 'the most important single work in science' (Dibner): an exceptionally bright example in unrestored condition.
‘What is marvellous about it is that anybody can read any page and it makes absolute sense to them. It’s not full of jargon, it’s full of argument and observation’ (David Attenborough)
Darwin's ideas about the beneficial mutation of species were initially inspired by his observations and findings during the voyage of the Beagle, but they did not cohere into the theory of evolution until his reading of Thomas Malthus's Essay on the Principle of Population in the latter half of 1838. The gestation of the theory was slow, but following a conversation with Sir Charles Lyell about his hypothesis in 1856, Darwin was determined to bring it to a conclusion. Two years later he had composed an extended treatise entitled 'Natural Selection', some two thirds complete at 250,000 words. Then, in June 1858, Darwin received a letter about evolution from Alfred Russel Wallace, who had independently arrived at similar conclusions. The two scientists issued a joint paper on the subject at the Linnean Society on 1 July, but Darwin was now forced to publish his larger work, which was boiled down to an ‘abstract' of some 155,000 words.
Finally published as On the Origin of Species on 24 November 1859 in a print run of 1250 copies, it expounded a theory of evolution that was recognisably superior and of infinitely greater impact than all previous hypotheses explaining biological diversity. 'The book, stripped of references and academic paraphernalia, was aimed not at the specialists, but directly at the reading public'. 'It will live as long as the "Principia" of Newton ... Mr. Darwin has given the world a new science, and his name should in my opinion, stand above that of every philosopher of ancient and modern times’ (Alfred Russel Wallace, quoted by Janet Browne, Charles Darwin II, pp.139-140). Dibner Heralds of Science 199; Eimas Heirs 1724; Freeman 373; Garrison-Morton (1991) 220; Grolier, Science 23b; Norman 593; PMM 344b; Milestones of Science 49; Waller 10786.
Octavo-in-12s (197 x 124mm). Half-title, folding lithographic diagram, 32pp. of publisher's adverts at end dated June 1859, partly unopened (textblock cracking at pp.viii-ix, some spotting to preliminaries and early quires, this becoming lighter and more scattered throughout the text, some tiny marginal nicks and chips from rough opening). Original publisher's green cloth [Freeman's variant a], binder’s ticket on rear pastedown (corners and head- and tailcaps very slightly pushed). Provenance: Lord Harris of Belmont House (presumably George Francis Robert Harris, 3rd Baron Harris GCSI, 1810-1872, who succeeded his father to the barony in 1845; bookplate, contemporary ink shelf numbering) – thence by descent.
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. London: John Murray, 1859.
First edition of 'the most important single work in science' (Dibner): an exceptionally bright example in unrestored condition.
‘What is marvellous about it is that anybody can read any page and it makes absolute sense to them. It’s not full of jargon, it’s full of argument and observation’ (David Attenborough)
Darwin's ideas about the beneficial mutation of species were initially inspired by his observations and findings during the voyage of the Beagle, but they did not cohere into the theory of evolution until his reading of Thomas Malthus's Essay on the Principle of Population in the latter half of 1838. The gestation of the theory was slow, but following a conversation with Sir Charles Lyell about his hypothesis in 1856, Darwin was determined to bring it to a conclusion. Two years later he had composed an extended treatise entitled 'Natural Selection', some two thirds complete at 250,000 words. Then, in June 1858, Darwin received a letter about evolution from Alfred Russel Wallace, who had independently arrived at similar conclusions. The two scientists issued a joint paper on the subject at the Linnean Society on 1 July, but Darwin was now forced to publish his larger work, which was boiled down to an ‘abstract' of some 155,000 words.
Finally published as On the Origin of Species on 24 November 1859 in a print run of 1250 copies, it expounded a theory of evolution that was recognisably superior and of infinitely greater impact than all previous hypotheses explaining biological diversity. 'The book, stripped of references and academic paraphernalia, was aimed not at the specialists, but directly at the reading public'. 'It will live as long as the "Principia" of Newton ... Mr. Darwin has given the world a new science, and his name should in my opinion, stand above that of every philosopher of ancient and modern times’ (Alfred Russel Wallace, quoted by Janet Browne, Charles Darwin II, pp.139-140). Dibner Heralds of Science 199; Eimas Heirs 1724; Freeman 373; Garrison-Morton (1991) 220; Grolier, Science 23b; Norman 593; PMM 344b; Milestones of Science 49; Waller 10786.
Octavo-in-12s (197 x 124mm). Half-title, folding lithographic diagram, 32pp. of publisher's adverts at end dated June 1859, partly unopened (textblock cracking at pp.viii-ix, some spotting to preliminaries and early quires, this becoming lighter and more scattered throughout the text, some tiny marginal nicks and chips from rough opening). Original publisher's green cloth [Freeman's variant a], binder’s ticket on rear pastedown (corners and head- and tailcaps very slightly pushed). Provenance: Lord Harris of Belmont House (presumably George Francis Robert Harris, 3rd Baron Harris GCSI, 1810-1872, who succeeded his father to the barony in 1845; bookplate, contemporary ink shelf numbering) – thence by descent.
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