The most important science book of all time

DARWIN, Charles.

On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

London: John Murray, 1859.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine. Item #001674

ix [1], 502 pp., 1 folding diagram; 32 pp. of publisher's catalogue (Freeman variant c). Early 20th century full morocco, green morocco label, spine gilt, top edge with color cut, other edges uncut, marbled endpapers. Old ownership inscription in faint ink to top margin of title page. Very minor foxing in places. A very beautiful copy ----

PMM 344b; Horblit 23b; Sparrow 49; Dibner 199; Freeman 373; Garrison-M. 220; Norman 594. - FIRST EDITION OF "THE MOST INFLUENTIAL SCIENTIFIC WORK OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. Its publication aroused world-wide criticism and controversy, both religious and scientific" (Grolier/Horblit). The whole edition of 1250 copies was sold on the day of publication. Though the work was initially prompted by observations, made during his travels aboard the Beagle from 1831 to 1836, of the biology and geology of isolated islands, Darwin spent nearly 25 years after his return to England accumulating evidence and considering his theory before publishing. "Although the theory of evolution can be traced to the ancient Greek belief in the 'great chain of being,' Darwin's greatest achievement was to make this centuries-old 'underground' concept acceptable to the scientific community by cogently arguing for the existence of a viable mechanism -- natural selection -- by which new species evolve over vast periods of time. Darwin's influence on biology was fundamental and continues to be felt today" (Garrison-Morton).

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