Item was unsold

8vo (182 x 118mm). 7 heliotype plates by O. G. Rejlander (3 folding), numerous illustrations in text; 4 pp. publisher’s advertisements at end dated November 1872. (Title a little soiled, some very slight marginal toning, folding plates with some minor pale spotting on verso.) Original green cloth by Edmonds & Remnants with their ticket on the lower pastedown (minor wear to spine ends and corners, a few bumps to board edges, hinges cracked); quarter morocco folding case. Provenance: George Harris (1809-1890), prominent psychologist, scientist and correspondent of Darwin (signature on title-page); Walter Spindler (1878-1940), English artist best known for his portrait of Sarah Bernhardt (signature and note on front free endpaper dated March 1907, and his extensive underlinings and neat marginal notations on approximately18 pages).

 

FIRST EDITION, Freeman's First Issue (but with photographic plates numbered in Roman). PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed by the publisher's clerk “From the Author” on front flyleaf.  And with a holograph envelope cover addressed in Darwin’s hand to Harris tipped-in on leaf facing the title.  Additionally inscribed by the recipient: "George Harris FSA From the author."

 

"With this book Darwin founded the study of ethology (animal behavior) and conveyance of information (communication theory) and made a major contribution to psychology" (DSB). The work contains studies of facial and other types of expression in man and mammals, and their relationship to various emotions. "This is an important member of the evolutionary set, and it was written, in part at least, as a confutation of the idea that the facial muscles of expression in man were a special endowment" (Freeman). 

 

George Harris (1809-1890) was a barrister and judge with strong interests in anthropology and psychology. During 1874-1876, George Harris solicited comments and suggestions from many eminent philosophers, theologians and naturalists concerning the ideas and language of his planned treatise on the nature of man for his A Philosophical Treatise on the Nature and Constitution of Man published in 1876. 

 

The present copy (as well as most other presentation copies) has its plates numbered in roman instead of arabic, contradicting Freeman's priority of arabic numbered plates: since this copy was one of those specially prepared for presentation by having its edges trimmed by the binder, it is most likely that Darwin would have presented copies from the earlier issue. Freeman 1141; Garrison-Morton 4975; Norman 600.