Beschreibung:

DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809-1882) — FITZROY, Robert (1805-1865, editor) Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle. London: Henry Colburn, 1839. A fine, clean example of the first edition, first issue of Darwin's first published book, Journal and Remarks 1832-1836, in volume III. Next to the Origin, it was Darwin's most important and most popular book, leading to the opening of his first notebook on 'Transmutation of Species' in 1837. While his studies on the voyage concentrated initially on geology, the experience also aroused a desire to understand and explain the distribution and development of the species he encountered. He returned 'almost convinced that species had not always been as they were since the creation, but had undergone change' (DSB III, p. 566). Overall the great open-mindedness and pointed curiosity of the Journal make it the finest example of a scientific autobiography ever written. Freeman 10; Hill 607; Norman 584; Sabin 37826. 4 volumes including appendix of vol. II, octavo (235 x 147mm). Half-titles, 48 engraved plates and charts, one of which folding, 8 folding engraved maps in front cover pockets as usual with blue silk ribbon pulls, woodcut illustrations (folding maps in vol. III ‘Southern Portion of South America’ and ‘Keeling Islands’ with light browning, offsetting, a few short clean splits along creasefolds without loss and , one small area of tape repair on verso without loss, plates in vols I-II with occasional light staining at extreme top edge margin, some insignificant scattered spotting to vol. III more heavily affecting gathering N, and with tiny marginal tear to pp.337-8). Original blue cloth, uncut, vols. I-II unopened (spine of vol. III somewhat more heavily rubbed with neat repair to short split in backstrip without loss, front inner hinge of vol. III slightly weak and starting to split). Provenance: Donald P. Ross (ink presentation inscriptions dated 1935-6 on titles of vols I and II from his mother).