Lot 393
Darwin, Charles - Fitzroy, Admiral Robert, editor
Books, Maps, Manuscripts & Photographs
Auction: 26 May 2010 at 12:00 BST
Description
Narrative of the surveying voyages on His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836. London: Henry Colburn, 1839. First edition, 4 volumes, including Appendix to volume 2, bound in 3 volumes, 8vo, [iii - xxviii, [4], 597; iii - xiv, [2], 694, [2]; viii, 352; iii - xiv, 615, pp. 609-629 addenda], 47 engraved plates after P.P. King, A. Earle, C. Martens, R. Fitzroy, T. Landseer, S. Bull, T.A. Prior and others, 8 folding charts laid down on linen all bound at the end of volume 3, 6 woodcuts in the text, contemporary calf, spines gilt with Northern Lighthouse Board stamp at head of spines, morocco lettering pieces, slight offsetting from plates to text, slight offsetting to maps, bound without half-titles, head of spined rubbed, lacking the large Map of South America from volume 1
Footnote
Note: First edition of Darwin's first published work, Journals and Remarks 1832-1836, in volume 3. Although his studies on the Beagle concentrated initially on geology, his observations on the voyage led to a desire to understand and explain the distribution and development of the species he encountered on the five year expedition, and led to the openng on his first noebook on "Transmutation of Species" in 1837 . . "It is an important travel book in its own right and its relation to the background of his evolutionary ideas has often been stresed" [Freeman, 10]. Hill 607; Norman 584; Sabin 37826
Provenance: To be sold on behalf of the Northern Lighthouse Heritage Trust.