– 21 – A u g u s t 2 0 2 2 been resistant to stereotyping his work in England. Darwin may have seen the first U.S. edition, published in 1860 from stereotypes of the British second edition, and was aware of the decline in quality compared to conventional typesetting. In England, Darwin still wanted the best printing possible, while the overseas printing was of slightly less concern. In letter dated April 1869, Darwin had, in fact, approached Orange, Judd, & Co., who published the American version of Variation, about publishing a new American edition of the Origin. Here, however, Darwin only mentions potential correspondence with Asa Gray, a Harvard botanist with whom Darwin exchanged hundreds of letters. Darwin’s fame in America largely rested on Gray’s positive review of Origin in The Atlantic and his subsequent pro-evolution debates with zoologist Louis Agassiz, which Gray won handily. Darwin’s decision to mention Gray here was likely meant to emphasize Darwin’s influence in the American scientific community and to underline the scientific prominence of Darwin’s American supporters. This letter indicates Darwin’s willingness to go along with Appleton publication proposal despite that inquiry, for both this work and for his upcoming book, The Descent of Man. The Murray notice that Darwin refers to was an advance advertisement for Descent published in October of 1869. Descent, delayed as Darwin indicates, was not actually published until early in 1871. Appleton managed to publish the second U.S. edition of Origin, based on a corrected and expanded version of the fifth English edition, by 1870, before their publication of Descent in 1871. Darwin kept a proprietorial hand on all of his work: other editions were also receiving tweaks at the same time he was considering the Appleton proposal. For instance, Darwin mentions sending several corrections to the fifth English edition of Origin to improve its upcoming publication in French and German. This letter is accompanied by the second American edition of On the Origin of Species, the subject of the letter. “This, the most important single work in science, brought man to his true place in nature” (Heralds of Science 199). Darwin “was intent upon carrying Lyell’s demonstration of the uniformity of natural causes over into the organic world… In accomplishing this Darwin not only drew an entirely new picture of the workings of organic nature; he revolutionized our methods of thinking and our outlook on the natural order of things. The recognition that constant change is the order of the universe had been finally established and a vast step forward in the uniformity of nature had been taken” (PMM 344). Excerpts of this letter were published in Darwin’s Correspondence, Volume 17. The book is labeled “Fifth Edition, With Additions And Corrections” on the title page, alluding to the fifth British edition as explained above. The first American edition was published in 1860, using the British text, and was subsequently revised over a number of printings not technically considered editions. Thus, this publication is generally known as the second American edition. Contemporary owner signature and owner stamps (including on half title and title page) of author and Egyptologist Orlando P. Schmidt, later Smith. Tiny marginal chip to corner, original mailing creases to about-fine letter. Book extremely good, with toning to cloth and wear to spine ends. Fascinating and highly desirable.
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