Handsome copy of one of Darwin's most important works 'The Descent of Man’ Complete large volume, illustrated with numerous figures and drawings throughout. Published by John Murray, London, 1906. Publisher’s original green cloth with green blind stamped decoration and title in green to front board, and gilt titles to the spine. Top page edges gilt. Book Dimensions: 21 x 14 x 4 cm and Number of Pages: 1031 including index + 2 pages of works by Darwin Condition A well-preserved copy. Firm and well bound. External covers are clean and in nice shape, with light wear to boards’ corners, and to head and foot of spine. Internally the book in very good condition. A name and date of 1907 with pencil on top front free endpaper page. All pages are tightly held at the gutter. Inner hinges are very good. Pages are very clean. The illustrations in nice condition (Please see pictures). “The DESCENT OF MAN is one of Darwin s most important works. It was in this book that Darwin first used the word "evolution" in any of his works. The last chapter is about sexual selection in relation to man, and ends with his famous statement about man's lowly origin. In the preface to the second edition, Darwin wrote of "the fiery ordeal through which this book has passed." Profiting from the criticism leveled at the text together with a number of new facts several correspondents had given him, Darwin revised and added to his book. However, his "conviction of the power of sexual selection remains unshaken." "Darwin wrote, in the preface to the second edition, of 'the fiery ordeal through which this book has passed.' He had avoided the logical outcome of the general theory of evolution, bringing man into the scheme, for twelve years, and in fact it had, by that time, been so much accepted that the clamour of the opposition was not strident. He had also been preceded in 1862 by Huxley's MAN'S PLACE IN NATURE”.