59 66DARWIN, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London, 1871. Two volumes. Octavo, original green cloth gilt. $18,000 “Man Still Bears… The Indelible Stamp Of His Lowly Origin” First edition, first issue, of Darwin’s landmark treatise, in which the word “evolution” is used to describe his theory for the first time in any of his works, in original cloth. “The book, in its first edition, contains two parts, the descent of man itself, and selection in relation to sex. The word ‘evolution’ occurs [Volume I, p. 2] for the first time in any of Darwin’s works” (Freeman, 128-29). “In the Origin Darwin had avoided discussing the place occupied by Homo sapiens in the scheme of natural selection, stating only that ‘light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history.’ Twelve years later he made good his promise with The Descent of Man” (Norman 599). Freeman 937. Scattered light foxing to text; inner hinges expertly reinforced Volume II with expert repairs to text block; cloth quite fresh, gilt bright, with just a bit of wear to spine ends. An attractive copy. “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.”
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