The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. In Two Volumes. With Illustrations.

DARWIN, Charles.

Published by London: John Murray, 1871

First edition, second issue, of the first of Darwin's works to contain the word "evolution", preceding the term's appearance in the sixth edition of the Origin of Species the following year. The word appears on several occasions in the text, firstly on page 2: "Of the older and honoured chiefs in natural science, many unfortunately are still opposed to evolution in every form". This copy is from the library of Seymour Thorne George (1851-1922), with his signature on both half-titles. In December 1872 Thorne George married Annie Maria Matthews (1853-1938), the adopted daughter of Sir George Grey (1812-1898), Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony, and the 11th premier of New Zealand. Grey was an acquaintance and correspondent of Darwin; he used the naturalist's cabin aboard the Beagle in 1837, one year after Darwin's five-year voyage had concluded, and temporarily returned to England in 1859. Grey was also a close friend of David Livingstone, and one of the strongest supporters of Livingstone's journey across Southern Africa. Grey's library, housed at the family estate on Kawau Island, which Annie managed, contained some 15,000 volumes. A journalist visiting the island in 1878 "reported it to be the finest private collection in the colony" (Yarwood). Much of the library is now part of Auckland City Library's George Grey Collection. Little is known of the subsequent owner, Esther J. Levin, whose signature follows that of Thorne George, except that she purchased a large number of books at the estate auction of Mrs Thorne George (Annie Matthews), mostly of New Zealand interest. Those books of hers that have circulated in commerce typically bear markings from the Grey-Thorne George Library too. Prior to writing The Descent of Man, Darwin had hoped that one of his supporters might tackle the thorny question of human evolution, but was forced to face the logic of his own theory himself. Darwin deviated from his ostensible subject of mankind to describe sexual selection in the animal kingdom, enabling him to answer those who saw peacock tails as an expression of divine aesthetics. Darwin also set out a definite family tree for humans, tracing their affinity with the Old World monkeys, and laid out his views on the evolutionary origins of morality and religion. "The Descent, understood by Darwin as a sequel to the Origin, was written with a maturity and depth of learning that marked Darwin's status as an élite gentleman of science" (ODNB). "In discussing man's ancestry Darwin did not claim that man was directly descended from apes as we know them today, but stated simply that the extinct ancestors of Homo sapiens would have to be classified among the primates; however, this statement, as misinterpreted by the popular press, caused a furore second only to that raised by the Origin" (Norman). The first issue can be distinguished from the second by a number of textual differences. The first issue of volume one is identified through the appearance of "transmitted" as the first word of page 297; volume two has the printer's note on the half-title leaf verso, the errata on the title leaf verso, and a tipped-in "Postscript" (pp. [ix-x]) referring to errors which were entirely reset for the second issue. The second issue begins page 297 with "When" and lists works by the same author on the title leaf verso of volume 2. Norman states that there were 2,500 copies of the first issue and 2,000 copies of the second issue printed. Freeman 938; Garrison & Morton 170; Norman 599 (first issue). Vaughan Yarwood, "The Governor's Island", New Zealand Geographic, issue 39, July-September 1998. 2 vols, octavo. With black and white wood-engraved illustrations in text; 16 pp. advertisements in each dated January 1871. Original green cloth, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, covers blocked with blind panels, brown coated endpapers. Two ownership signatures on half-titles: the contemporary "Seymour Thorne George. Seller Inventory # 156463

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Descent of Man, and Selection in ...
Publisher: London: John Murray, 1871
Edition: 1st Edition