Books

London: John Murray, 1876. First edition. Fine. Octavo (20 cm); viii, 482 pages. Advertisements for other works of the author on the verso of the title, 3-line errata slip tipped in prior to Chapter One. Original cloth. Owner's name in ink and old bookseller notations in pencil on front free endpaper. Else a fine copy in remarkably fresh condition. Reference: Freeman, 1249. "In which he began demonstrating the frequency with which plants had developed structures and processes favouring cross-pollination. ... By experiment Darwin found that the plants which had been cross fertilized almost always grew taller and stronger than those which had pollinated themselves. ... This was clearly a strong, if circumstantial, proof of his central thesis, natural selection: the adaptations to ease cross-fertilization were connected with a general increase in vigour; vigorous plants were more likely to survive in competitive circumstances; thus over the vast periods of evolutionary…

The true first edition is identifiable by the list of errors printed on the verso of the half-title page.