First edition, second issue, of the first of Darwin's works to use the famous evolutionary phrase, preceding by a year its first appearance in Origin of Species (fifth edition, 1869). "Survival of the fittest" was coined by the philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer on reading Origin, and remains the most succinct summary of Darwin's theory of natural selection.
Variation under Domestication represents "the first two chapters of the projected 'big book' on the origin of species of which Origin was an abstract; this was the only section of the 'big book' published during Darwin's lifetime" (Norman). It was "intended to provide overwhelming evidence for the ubiquity of variation, although [it] would also incidentally answer Lyell and Gray, who maintained that variations had not occurred purely by chance but were providentially directed. Darwin showed that breeders indeed selected from a vast array of minute random variations. He gave numerous instances of the causes of variability, including the direct effect of the conditions of life, reversion, the effects of use and disuse, saltation, prepotency, and correlated growth. Variation also addressed a key criticism of Origin: that it lacked an adequate understanding of inheritance" (ODNB). As such Variation is a full statement of the facts on which the theories of Origin were based, leaving aside an account of human evolution for Descent of Man (1871).
This is the only Darwin title published by Murray to appear
First edition, second issue, of the first of Darwin's works to use the famous evolutionary phrase, preceding by a year its first appearance in Origin of Species (fifth edition, 1869). "Survival of the fittest" was coined by the philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer on reading Origin, and remains the most succinct summary of Darwin's theory of natural selection.
Variation under Domestication represents "the first two chapters of the projected 'big book' on the origin of species of which Origin was an abstract; this was the only section of the 'big book' published during Darwin's lifetime" (Norman). It was "intended to provide overwhelming evidence for the ubiquity of variation, although [it] would also incidentally answer Lyell and Gray, who maintained that variations had not occurred purely by chance but were providentially directed. Darwin showed that breeders indeed selected from a vast array of minute random variations. He gave numerous instances of the causes of variability, including the direct effect of the conditions of life, reversion, the effects of use and disuse, saltation, prepotency, and correlated growth. Variation also addressed a key criticism of Origin: that it lacked an adequate understanding of inheritance" (ODNB). As such Variation is a full statement of the facts on which the theories of Origin were based, leaving aside an account of human evolution for Descent of Man (1871).
This is the only Darwin title published by Murray to appear in the larger format of demy octavo. The first issue was published on 30 January and sold out quickly; the second, with substantial textual variations, was published in a run of 1,250 copies in February and is distinguished by a single erratum in volume one and no errata in volume two.
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Two vols, demy octavo. Original green cloth, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, covers panelled in blind, black coated endpapers.
With 43 woodcuts in text. Vol. 1 with 32 pp. advertisements dated April 1868, vol. 2 with 2 pp. advertisements dated February 1868.
Extremities rubbed, spine ends and corners a little worn, covers a little marked and cockled, cords sometimes visible but holding firm, occasional neat pencil marginal annotations demonstrating close reading, else contents clean and crisp: a very good set.
Freeman 878; Norman 597 (second issue).