DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809-1882). The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: John Murray, 1872.

DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809-1882). The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: John Murray, 1872.

First edition of this sequel to the Descent of Man, second issue with three leaves of preliminaries. 'This is an important member of the evolutionary set, and 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 p.141). Freeman notes that Darwin enquired widely of his scientific colleagues on this subject, and on 4 March 1871 wrote to Frederick Godman, who would later own this book: 'The point for enquiry is a very trifling one, viz whether Camels, when they utter a loud & prolonged sound, with violent expiration (& I have read that when loaded or ill-treated, they scream or groan loudly)—whether at the moment they contract their eyelids & skin round the eyes, as if shutting them violently;—or whether they do this in any degree' (Darwin Correspondence Project 7543). On pp.158-163 of the present work, Darwin discusses the contraction of muscles around the eyes during screaming in humans and some other mammals (although camels are not mentioned). Freeman 1142.

Octavo (190 x 123mm). 7 heliotype plates with arabic numerals, 3 folding, numerous illustrations in text, 2 integral advertisement leaves at end, dated November 1872 (occasional light spotting). Original green cloth, covers with blind frame, lettered in gilt on spine, blue-black endpapers (extremities faintly rubbed). Provenance: Frederick du Cane Godman (bookplate).

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