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This is the first edition, first impression of Charles Darwin s The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex in the publisher s original green cloth bindings. Herein, on page 2 of Volume I, is his first use of the term "evolution."First impression of the first edition is confirmed by issue points; in Volume I, "transmitted" is the first word on p.297; Volume II has errata on the title page verso (seventeen errata for Volume I and eight for Volume II) and a tipped-in "Postscript" at unpaginated pp. ix-x referring to errors which were reset for the second issue. The sixteen pages of advertisements for "Mr. Murray s List of Popular Works" are present in each volume following the text (following the lengthy Index in Volume II). Of note, the tipped-in "Postscript" reoccurs between pages 14 and 15 of the advertisements in Volume I.Condition is very good. We note that the bindings have been skillfully and unobtrusively reinforced at the gutters, leaving the original black endpapers intact. Consequently the bindings are not only unusually bright and clean, but also square and tight. Shelf presentation is noteworthy; while the spines show a little wrinkling and light wear to the ends, the gilt remains vividly bright, the green hue uniform with no appreciable color shift between the covers and spine. The covers show only light, superficial scuffing and blemishes and minor shelf wear to extremities. The contents are bright with only modest age-toning to the text block edges. Spotting is mild, primarily confined in Volume I to the front free endpaper, the publisher s rear catalogue following the text, and the text block edges. In Volume II, spotting is primarily confined to the front free endpaper and half title, the text block edges, the final page of the Index, and the publisher s catalogue. A few of the Volume II index signatures remain unopened. The sole previous ownership name is an armorial bookplate affixed to the Volume I front pastedown.On the Origin of Species (1859) fomented a reorientation that would eventually supplant dogmatic creationist hierarchy with rationalistic naturalist biology. But in Origin, Darwin had said little about how his ideas applied to human beings. In The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex Darwin argued that all creatures are subject to the same natural laws. "Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin." And in Descent the cause was finally given its enduring name. On page two of Volume I Darwin wrote "these great classes of facts afford, as it appears to me, ample and conclusive evidence in favour of the principle of gradual evolution." This is the first time the word evolution is thus applied in his published work. Descent posited the theory Darwin called "sexual selection" and attempted to set forth a naturalistic explanation for the mind and for moral behavior. That Darwin s conceptions continue to fuel both rational debate and fervid ire testifies to their fundamental impact. That many of his concepts are settled theory testifies to their empirical insight and veracity.
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