The Bell’s Darwin Collection
Comprising all the major titles published by Darwin in his lifetime in a number of editions, our Darwin collection at Bell’s Books is a treasure trove for the collector of early evolutionary materials.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) is considered one of the greatest scientific minds in human history, having spearheaded the concept of evolutionary biology. His Origin of the Species has remained in print since it first appeared in 1859.
The bulk of Darwin’s fieldwork was carried out during his five-year voyage on the H. M. S. Beagle (1831-1836), where he collected samples of unusual biological specimens for further study. From this data he concluded that species evolved and survived over time, being dependent on environmental factors related to the species’ ability to adapt.
Initial publications of Darwin centered around geology and barnacles, but with the publication of his landmark Origin of the Species in 1859, he included humans in his studies, particularly with the 1871 release of The Descent of Man and The Expression of Emotions of 1872.
In later life Darwin concentrated on the study of plant life. However, his interests did extend to earthworms, which he experimented on with colored lights in the garden at night, as well as having his son play the bassoon to them to see how they would react.
Our stunning array of titles came from the lifetime medical and evolutionary book collection of the late Dr. Edward Sprague with many thanks.