Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation

Description:

Tenth edition, the first illustrated edition and the most substantial version of the work published before Darwin’s Origin of Species. This substantially expanded edition includes an autobiographical preface, 107 illustrations selected by the physiologist and populariser of science William Benjamin Carpenter, and an extensive appendix responding to critics. First published anonymously in 1844, Chambers’s Vestiges became one of the most controversial and widely read scientific works of the nineteenth century, passing through ten editions before the publication of Darwin’s Origin in 1859. Drawing upon geology, developmental theory, and contemporary natural philosophy, Chambers argued that the formation of the universe and the development of life were governed by natural laws rather than isolated acts of divine creation. The work played a crucial role in preparing Victorian readers for evolutionary theory; Darwin himself acknowledged its importance in 'calling attention to the subject' and 'preparing the ground for the reception of analogous views.'

Freeman 679.

Condition

8vo, contemporary half morocco, neatly rebacked preserving original spine, marbled boards, edges, and endpapers, a little rubbed at extremities with some wear to marbled paper at board edges. Some light scattered foxing. Marginal pencil annotations throughout, including shorthand notes, underlining, and occasional coloured pencil markings, in an unidentified hand and apparently dating in part from the late 1960s. One manuscript note reads, ‘see my letter to Julian Huxley 19/1/69’.

Provenance: From the library of K.G.V. Smith (1929-2017), leading British dipterist at the Natural History Museum, London, and editor of the Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine. The marginal annotations to this copy sufficiently intrigued K.G.V. Smith that he attempted unsuccessfully to identify their author through correspondence with Sir Julian Huxley. Typewritten letter from Smith to Julian Huxley, dated 1974, loosely inserted: 'Dear Sir Julian, Recently I acquired a rather heavily but interestingly annotated copy of Chambers's Vestiges of Creation ... and am anxious to establish who the annotator was ... I apologise for the trivial nature of this letter but I am accumulating a library of Darwiniana with a view of producing a bibliography (suggested by R.B. Freeman).' Also, loosely inserted, a typed postcard from Julian Huxley in reply to Smith, dated 1974: 'Sir Julian Huxley regrets he cannot help you in tracing the ownership of the book you mention.'

An unusually interesting annotated copy with later scientific provenance.