On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.

DARWIN, Charles.

On the Origin of Species London, John Murray. 1859

Description

London, John Murray, 1859. 8vo in 12s. With 1 folding lithographed plate showing Darwin’s branching-tree diagram of possible sequences of evolutionary development. With the publisher’s advertisements dated June 1859. Original publisher’s green cloth, gold and blind blocked, with the binder’s ticket of Edmonds & Remnants.

ix, (1), 502; 32 pp. Dibner, Heralds of Science 199; Freeman 373; Horblit 23b; Norman Library 593; PMM 344b.
First edition (only issue) of Darwin’s historic and pioneering work on the theory of evolution, “certainly the most important biological book ever written” (Freeman), “the most influential scientific work of the nineteenth century” (Horblit) and “the most important single work in science” (Dibner). Darwin was the first to bring the concept of natural selection to the scientific community, and to prove it in writing. He had started developing the idea during and after his voyage on the “Beagle” from 1831 to 1836, and after publication of Malthus’s essay in 1838. He developed his theory for many years without publishing it however, and might have continued to do so if Alfred Wallace had not independently developed a very similar theory. That spurred Darwin to finish and publish the manuscript he had begun in 1856. An immediate sensation, it was both enthusiastically celebrated and viciously attacked as soon as it appeared. The present first edition of 1250 copies was sold out on the day of publication in November 1859 and the publisher had to take orders for some three hundred more to be filled before the end of the year with the second printing.
This copy is in the original publisher’s cloth, Freeman’s variant b (there is no priority between the two variants), with the binder's ticket: "Bound by Edmonds & Remnants. London". The advertisements are in Freeman's variant 3. With a tear near the fold in the first two leaves, not approaching the text, but otherwise in fine condition, with only the paper very slightly yellowed, as usual, and a few very small marginal chips or tears. Only about 3 1/2 mm has been trimmed from the foot and fore-edge of the largest leaves (shown in this copy by a folded corner), and the usual slight variation in leaf size means that many leaves are untrimmed and the printer’s point holes can still be seen. Part of the foot of one pair of leaves was also folded up before the publisher trimmed the book. The binding is very good, with only some wear and a couple tiny tears at the corners. The whole is in a sturdy modern cloth-covered box. A fine copy, in its remarkably well-preserved original cloth, of one of the world’s greatest books.

Price

£94000.00