60 Great Books - 37 - Bauman Rare Books “Man Still Bears… The Indelible Stamp Of His Lowly Origin”: First Issue Of The Descent Of Man, An Unusually Fine Copy In Original Cloth 35. DARWIN, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London, 1871. Two volumes. Octavo, original gilt-stamped green cloth, custom half morocco clamshell box. $25,000. 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, an exceptionally fine copy 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, 12829). “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). First issue: Volume I, page 297 begins with “transmitted”; Volume II with printer’s note on verso of half title, errata on verso of title and Darwin’s note on “a serious and unfortunate error” (p. [ix]). Advertisements in both volumes dated January 1871. Freeman 937. Garrison & Morton 170. Norman 599. Dealer blindstamps. Interior fine, faint rub to rear board of Volume I, spines beautiful, gilt pristine. A fine copy. “What is most compelling about The Descent of Man is how Darwin’s portrayal of humans was made within the context of a system of evolution that applied equally to all of nature.” —The Conversation
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