The Descent of Man

John Murray, UK, 1871. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/No Jacket. London: John Murray, 1871, 1871. 2 volumes, octavo. Original green cloth, titles to spines gilt, sides with panels blocked in blind, blue coated endpapers. The covers are in good condition and very secure - both spines have been professionally rebacked. Gilt nice and bright. There is a scuffing to the covers and the corners are a bit bumped, but with very little loss - a quite presentable set. The bindings are very tight and square having been repaired, strengthened and re-cased. Internally both volumes are very good indeed. The endpapers have been expertly reinforced with matching period paper - something that could well be missed without careful scrutiny. Previous owner name and notes, in light pencil, to the verso of the half-title (which could be easily erased). Some foxing to first and last few leaves of each volume, but the text pages are clean and bright throughout, with very little foxing that I can see and no previous ink marks. The original adverts are complete and dated January 1871. Cloth very lightly rubbed, a lovely set. Engravings throughout. First edition, first issue with the errata on the verso of the title leaf of vol. II. Here the word "evolution" appears for the first time in any of Darwin's works, preceding its appearance in the sixth edition of The Origin of Species the following year. 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). Housed in a custom-made collectors slipcase. Along with Darwins Origin of Species, one of the most important books in all of science, and thus, in all of human knowledge. Quite uncommon in the true first issue.