Books

1963. Erevan, Hayastani Petakan Hratarakch'ut'yun, 1963. Royal8vo. In publisher's full green cloth with gilt lettering to spine and front board. Light wear to extremities, primarily affecting spine. Inner font hinge split, otherwise a fine and clean copy. 591, (1) pp. + 2 plates. First printing of the exceedingly rare second Armenian translation of Darwin's landmark work. The first translation (translated by S. Sargsyan) was published in 1936 and both translations are of the upmost scarcity. Due to the relatively low number of people speaking Armenian (approximately 3 million in Armenia and 7 million outside) books in Armenian were printed in comparatively low numbers. This is one of the very few translations of "Origin of Species" of which Freeman has not listed the collation. This suggests that he never actually saw the copy but only read of it. Freeman 631.R.B. Darwin Online, F631.

"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.