Charles Bell. Essays on the Anatomy and Philosophy of Expression. London: John Murray, 1824. Printed by Thomas Davison, Whitefriars. The date and place are also indicated on engravings as "London, published by John Murray, Jany, 1824," xviii + 218 pp., four engravings on separate plates (signed: "Drawing C. Bell, engraved by John Stewart"), 24 illustrations in the text + 7 figures on a folding plate at the end, hardcover, spine gilt, 4to (271 x 210 mm). Condition: Original half-leather binding. The bindings are slightly rubbed, with a loss of leather on the corners. Corners are slightly bumped. The interior is clean with minimal foxing and no spots. Gutter and signatures are tight. The flyleaf has an old black ink inscription: Emma Bethell. The title page has an old black ink inscription: E. Bethell. No missing or detached pages. Provenance. In the 19th century, the book belonged to Ellen Bethell and Emma Louisa Bethell, the daughters of Lord Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury (1800-1873). Bought by the current owner in Hay-on-Wye (the UK) antique book store in 2000. Commentary. As a rule, the book is described as "Second, enlarged edition, expanded from the first edition of 1806." This is not entirely correct. The 1824 book (xviii + 218 pp., 35 illustrations; Ten essays), while indicated as "Second edition," used some text and illustrations from the 1806 version (ix + 186 pp., 34 illustrations, Seven essays). However, it is an independent piece of work designed for a different audience. The 1806 book was written for painters and pencil sketch artists. The 1824 book was written for physicians, neurologists, physiologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. That is why Bell changed the title of the book from "Essays on Anatomy of Expression in Painting" to "Essays on the Anatomy and Philosophy of Expression." He explained numerous omissions, additions, and other changes in the following way: "After the first edition was published, I was so fortunate as to make discoveries in the Nervous System, which gave a new and extraordinary interest to the subject of these essays" (page ix). "It has been the author’s main design to furnish a sufficient foundation for arranging the symptoms of disease, and for a more accurate description of them," (page xiii). Following this new aim, Bell removed some illustrative sketches and text pieces designed for artists and inserted medicine-specific illustrations (for example, a man in convulsions, page 101) and numerous medical and psychological observations. Additionally, the entire text was redesigned in composition. To compare: 1806 Introductory essay: USES OF ANATOMY TO THE PAINTER, no figures. 1824 Introductory essay: SOME ACCOUNT OF THE NERVES, AS A FOUNDATION FOR THE STUDY OF EXPRESSION. Figure "Nerves of the head and neck" (on a separate plate) is added. 1806 Essay II: OF THE SKULL AND FORM OF THE HEAD 1824 Essay II: ON THE SOURCES OF EXPRESSION IN THE HUMAN COUNTENANCE And so on. It appears that both the 1806 and 1824 versions can be considered first editions. Bell resisted the next edition of the book because his medical research was not finished. The subsequent editions of the book appeared only after he died in 1842. Charles Darwin, in 1872, published The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, where he acknowledged Bell’s contribution to facial expression, especially the role of the nervous system. Literature: Bell C. Essays on Anatomy of Expression in Painting. London: Longman, Hurst and Rees, 1806. Darwin C. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: John Murray, 1872. Ekman P. (ed.) Darwin and Facial Expression. Cambridge, MA: Major Books, 2006. Bell C. The Anatomy and Philosophy of Expression as Connected with the Fine Arts. 3rd ed. London: John Murray, 1864. Loudon ISL. Sir Charles Bell and the anatomy of expression. British Medical Journal, 1982; 285: 1794– 1796. Aminoff, M. Sir Charles Bell. His Life, Art, Neurological Concepts and Controversial Legacy. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017, ch 7, pp.104–106. Catalogues: Wellcome Collection EPB/C/13076; Library of Congress NC760.