Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation

Description:

Tenth edition (the first to include illustrations - wood engravings to the text). Robert Chambers (1802-1871) first published this work in 1844, it stirred great controversy and became an instant scientific bestseller, going through ten editions before 1859 when Darwin’s Origin of Species was first published. Drawing upon his scientific reading, his interest in geology, and phrenological philosophy, Chambers proposed that the universe had not been created in a single act by God, but rather, scientific laws explained and governed not only the development of higher life forms but also the origin of life itself. Knowing that his theory would be controversial, Chambers arranged for the book's anonymous publication. 'Vestiges' played a significant role in nineteenth-century evolutionary biology, paving the way for Darwin.

Freeman 679

Condition

8vo, cont. half morocco (slightly rubbed to extremities), marbled boards, edges, and endpapers, wear to marbled paper at edges of boards. Some light scattered foxing. Marginal pencil annotations (some in shorthand), underlining and markings (some in coloured pencil).

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. 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', 10th ed., 1853 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 post card 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.'