FIRST FRENCH EDITION OF THE "ORIGIN OF SPECIES"

DARWIN, CH. (CHARLES).

De L'Origine des Espèces ou des Lois du Progrès chez les Étres organisés par Ch. Darwin. Traduit en francais sur le troisieme Édition avec l'autorisation de l'Auteur par Mlle Clémence-Auguste Royer. Avec une Preface et des Notes du Traducteur.

Paris, Guillaumin et Cie, Victor Masson et Fils, 1862.

8vo. In contemporary half calf with gilt title to spine. Very light minor brownspotting to a few pages. Previous owner's name to half title. A fine copy. LXIV (incl. half-title), I-XXIII + (24-) 712. pp. and 1 folded plate (between pp.160 a. 161). Fully complete.

The scarce first French edition of Darwin's masterpiece, one of the most important books ever printed. The "Origin" started the greatest of all intellectual revolutions in the history of Mankind.
There were some difficulties with the first French edition. Mlle Royer, who Darwin described as 'one of the cleverest and oddest women in Europe' and wished 'had known more of natural history', added her own footnotes. He was not really happy until the third translation by Éduard Barbier appeared in 1876. (Freeman).

Freeman No 655 (Freeman does not mention the plate, which is present here).

Order-nr.: 52388