Books

STUNNING BINDING. Hardback, approx. 8 inches x 5.5 inches. Bound in full hand-dyed period goatskin, and finished luxuriously in 23.5 carat gold. The binding features a full gilt spine with raised bands, twin gilt lines to the boards with floral stops to corners, patterned gilt roll to turn-ins, and gilt detailing to board edges and headcaps. The binder's stamp in gilt appears on the front turn-in. Patterned Victorian style endpapers, hand-sewn silk endbands. Text block edges cleaned and decorated with a fine complementary green sprinkle. Protected in a bespoke parchment-lined slipcase. In fine condition. Interior pages in very good clean condition with just the occasional spot here and there. The folding diagram does have some trivial spotting to its folds but is otherwise in excellent condition. 703pp. No rear catalogue. Illustrated with a photogravure portrait and one diagram folding-plate at p140. A turn-of-the-century New Impression of Darwin?s critical work on the theory of evolution.

"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.