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britannica - americana
DARWIN CHARLES
(1809-1882).
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or
the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.
London: [W. Clowes and Sons for] John Murray, 1859.
30 000 / 40 000 €
In-8 format, IX, 502 pp. with a folding diagram facing p. 117 by W. West,
half-title verso with quotations byWhewell and Bacon, 32-page publisher’s
catalogue dated June 1859 at the end (“Mr. Murray’s General List of
Works”); a few light spots in first leaves. Original publisher’s blind panelled
green grained cloth (with Edmonds & Remnants ticket), spine gilt, brown-
coated endpapers, in a green articulated cloth and leather box with title
piece: “On the Origin of Species. First Edition. Autograph Orchard Plan”.
Slight rubbing on joints with a bit of colour restoration at top of upper
joint, ⅛ inch tear in top edge of upper cover. Dimensions: 200 x 124 mm.
First edition.
Of the first run of 1, 250 copies. Darwin’s seminal book
that shared his theory of evolution with a lay audience. Darwin wrote
in his diary that all 1 250 copies of the first edition, published on
November 24, were sold on the first day; however, more accurately,
nearly all of the edition had been sold to the trade immediately, with the
exception of personal copies set aside for Darwin and review copies.
A handsome copy.
Dibner 199: “The most important single work in
science”. Freeman 373. Garrison and Morton 220. Horblit 23b. Norman
Library I, 594. PMM, 344b: “The five years [of Darwin’s voyage on the
Beagle] were the most important event in Darwin’s intellectual life and in
the history of biological science. Darwin sailed with no formal training.
He returned a hard-headed man of science… The experiences of his five
years in the Beagle, how he dealt with them, and what they led to, built
up into a process of epoch-making importance in the history of thought”
Copies of the original first edition have fetched high prices, including
at Christie’s, London, 24 November 2009, lot 48, where the influential,
green-cloth volume sold for £ 103,250; another copy (presentation
copy) sold at Christie’s, 15 November 2011, lot 54 for 134 500 $; sold
at Christie’s, 9 July 2019, lot 246 for £ 225 000.
Without question a watershed work in the history of modern life sciences,
Darwin’s
Origin
elaborated a proposition that species slowly evolve
from common ancestors through the mechanism of natural selection.
The entire text is essentially an introduction to, and amplification of the
iconoclastic thesis that Darwin abstracts at the beginning of chapter
4 (Natural Selection): If such do occur, can we doubt (remembering
that many more individuals are born than can possibly survive) that
individuals having any advantage, however slight, over others, would
have the best chance of surviving and of procreating their kind? On
the other hand, we may feel sure that any variation in the least degree
injurious would be rigidly destroyed. This preservation of favourable
variations and the rejection of injurious variations, I call Natural Selection.
The book, stripped of references and academic paraphernalia, was
aimed not at the specialists but directly at the reading public. John
Murray agreed to publish it sight unseen. Darwin arranged with Murray
to send out a large number of complimentary copies, fearing the
publication would be a catastrophe. In the event the 1,250 print-run
was oversubscribed and caused an immediate sensation, requiring.
Murray to initiate a reprint almost immediately after publication.
provenance
Sarah B. Wheatland (embossed ownership stamp on front endpaper).
Sarah Wheatland was a scientist, active in the 1950s, author for
example of
Oceanography of Long Island Sound,
1952-1954 (1956).
sold together with
Autograph MANUSCRIPT unsigned.
[Description and Enumeration of
Darwin’s Garden and Walk]
, 11 pages [Down House, ca. 1846] a bit of
marginal browning and spotting, pinholes at top left corner of first page.
Dimensions: 200 x 159 mm. Leaves placed in a fitted green folder
with modern description of content: “Darwin’s Description and
Enumeration of his Garden and Walk”.
List of trees and plants for the orchards, walks and gardens at Down
House as planned by Charles Darwin.
Down House stands south of Downe, a village 14.25 miles southeast of
London’s Charing Cross. Darwin moved into Down House in 1842 and
proceeded to make extensive alterations to the house and the grounds.
In 1846, Darwin rented, and later purchased, a narrow strip of land of
1.5 acres adjoining the Down House grounds to the southwest. He
named it Sandwalk Wood and had a wide variety of trees planted and
ordered a gravel path known as the “sandwalk” to be created around the
perimeter. Darwin’s daily walk of several circuits of his path served both
for exercise and quiet contemplation. The present manuscript contains
lengthy lists of a wide array of trees and plants for his expanding grounds.
He begins with a large selection of trees for his orchard including apple,
pear, apricot and cherry trees. Subsequent pages include a list of vines,
shrubs and flowering plants to be situated
against house beginning east
side.
The last two pages contain a list of plants, many flowering for the
front of house garden
and
right or west side going along walk to garden.
A lovely manuscript revealing Darwin’s great interest in his lush grounds
at Down House and witness to the solace he found in trees and plants.