The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin.

DARWIN, Francis; [Charles Darwin].

$650.00

Item Number: 145584

New York : D. Appleton and Company, 1899.

Early printing of this collection of Charles Darwin’s letters edited by his son Francis Darwin. Octavo, two volumes, original terracotta publisher’s cloth stamped in blind with gilt titles to the spines, yellow endpapers, frontispiece portraits of Charles Darwin in each volume, illustrated with four lithographic plates. In near fine condition with light rubbing to the extremities, an armorial bookplate to the front pastedown of both volumes.

Francis Darwin made significant contributions to the field of botany, particularly in the study of plant physiology. He conducted experiments on plant movements, such as the response of plants to light and gravity, which helped advance understanding in the emerging field of plant biology. Building on his father's work on natural selection, Darwin also studied the inheritance of traits in plants. A crucial figure in the preservation and promotion of his father's legacy, Francis Darwin edited and published Charles Darwin's autobiography, providing valuable insights into the personal and scientific life of the renowned naturalist, which remains a significant resource for scholars studying Darwin's life and work today.