Man and His Dwelling Place: An Essay Toward the Interpretation of Nature.

New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1872. First American edition. Octavo. xxvi, 303, [1, blank], [1], publisher's ads] pp. Publisher's blind-stamped pebbled-grain rust cloth, gilt spine lettering, pale yellow endpapers. A very tidy typographical bookplate of a 19th century lending library and faint stamp to endpaper. A very handsome copy: very clean text and in a binding with no issues.James Hinton was a successful surgeon and the author of many books and articles on physiology and ethics. A gifted man in his intellect and oratory powers, this book, his chief work, was an extremely influential interpretation of the relationship between science and religion. This was an era when such books were urgently needed as the populace was increasingly confused about the rise of technology and the influence of Darwinism. First published in 1859, the same year as the Origin of Species, Man and His Dwelling Place takes a very broad view of the human condition, addressing the most difficult topics brought up by this schism between the old world view and the new; science, religion, philosophy and ethics are all brought into play in this book. Hinton's arguments against outdated ways of thinking and his new approach to human nature were the means he though necessary to bridge this gap. He went so far in his appeal to the general public that he included a series of question-and-answer dialogues at the end of the book.