The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals.

early photographic illustrations

First edition, second issue with the preliminaries and signatures as noted by Freeman, but with the first issue points of 'that' spelled correctly on page 208, the plates labelled with Roman numerals, and the first issue ads.

The Expression of the Emotions was a significant contribution to evolutionary theory and was one of the first books to be illustrated with photographic plates (heliotypes). 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, The Works of Charles Darwin, p. 142). Here Darwin explicitly made the connection between the emotions and facial reflexes of humans and animals. He showed that human emotions were not unique, but part of a shared evolutionary heritage with the rest of the animal kingdom.

'With this book Darwin founded the study of ethology (animal behaviour) and conveyance of information (communication theory) and made a major contribution to psychology' (Dictionary of Scientific Biography).

First edition, second issue; 8vo; 7 plates from photographs, 4-page publisher's ads dated November 1872, repaired tear to plate I mainly in the margin, contemporary ownership inscription and small ink stamp of the title, ink stamp also on I2 & T2, dark marks on Q7-R5, some light spotting to contents; original green cloth, titles to spine gilt, boards panelled in blind, black coated endpapers, spine rolled, cloth a little rubbed with small worn spots at the corners and ends of spine, very good condition; 374pp.

Freeman, The Works of Charles Darwin 1141 & 1142; Hook & Norman, The Norman Library of Science & Medicine 600; Garrison-Morton Medical Bibliography 4975.