Beschreibung:

DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882). Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836, describing their Examination of the Southern Shores of South America, and the Beagle's Circumnavigation of the Globe . Volume III [of 3 only]. London: Henry Colburn, 1839. 8 o (234 x 147 mm). One (of 2) folding engraved maps by J. and C. Walker (this volume lacking the folding map after p. xiv). Original blindstamped green cloth, spine gilt-lettered (rebacked with original spine preserved); quarter morocco folding case. Provenance : Andrew Smith (1797-1872), British Army Assistant Staff Surgeon at Cape Town at the time of the expedition of the Beagle ; he later became Director-General of the Army Medical Department (presentation inscription IN DARWIN'S HAND on the half-title: "Andrew Smith M.D. From his sincere friend the Author"). PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION, in a variant binding (reserved for presentation) with spine title gilt-lettered "Darwin's Journal," and without publisher's imprint at foot of spine. "It would appear that Darwin was sent a few copies of Vol. III to present as single volumes apart from the rest of the set; this would be natural, as Darwin had no hand in preparing the other three volumes of the Voyages [see lot ***] and would thus not be interested in giving copies of them to his friends" (Norman). Freeman notes a similar binding on a copy Darwin presented to his brother, now in the Cambridge University Library, which bears the same lettering on its spine (see Freeman, Works of Charles Darwin...additions and corrections to the second edition [1986], p. 1). Darwin visited Smith when the Beagle landed at South Africa on her return voyage, and accompanied him on several geological journeys. See West, Charles Darwin , p. 146. AN INTERESTING ASSOCIATION COPY. Freeman 10; Norman 585.