Books

London : printed by W. Clowes and Sons for John Murray, 1861. Third edition. Octavo, original green cloth, boards blocked in blind, spine gilt (corners slightly bumped, light bumping to head and foot of spine, small damp mark to upper panel, small 10 mm mark recoloured to spine), binding variant B (no preference), without full point (period) after “MURRAY” in spine imprint, tan endpapers, bookseller's ticket of T. M. Buzzard to front pastedown, previous owner's name to front free endpaper, blindstamp of 105 Port Road Hindmarsh, previous owner's name to half-title, dated 1864, pp. xix; [blank], 548; (2 - publisher's catalogue), folding lithographic plate by William West after Darwin, internally clean, a fine and crisp copy of the third edition. The first edition of 1859, a great rarity, is described in Freeman as ""... the most important biological work ever written.""; Dibner, ""... the most important single work in science.""; Printing & the Mind of Man, ""...…

"On the Origin of Species" is a pivotal scientific work by Charles Darwin, published in 1859. In this seminal book, Darwin proposed the theory of evolution through natural selection, reshaping humanity's understanding of the natural world. He presented a comprehensive argument supported by extensive observations and evidence from various fields, discussing the gradual modification of species over time. Darwin's central idea was that all species of organisms evolved from common ancestors and that the mechanism driving this evolution was natural selection. He argued that within populations, organisms exhibit variations, and those better adapted to their environment have a higher chance of surviving and passing on their advantageous traits to future generations. Over successive generations, these advantageous traits accumulate, leading to the divergence of species and the formation of new ones. Darwin drew upon diverse scientific disciplines, including geology, paleontology, embryology, and anatomy, to support his theory. He detailed examples from nature, such as the diversity of finches in the Galápagos Islands and artificial selection in domesticated animals, to illustrate his points. The book triggered widespread debate, challenging prevailing religious and scientific beliefs about the origin and diversity of life. While controversial at the time, "On the Origin of Species" laid the groundwork for modern evolutionary biology. Its profound impact continues to shape scientific inquiry, influencing fields ranging from genetics to ecology and sparking ongoing discussions about life's interconnectedness and the processes that drive biological diversity.