Formulating a theory of natural selection 28 year before Darwin
On naval timber and arboriculture : with critical notes on authors who have recently treated the subject of planting.
Edinburgh / London: Adam Black / Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, 1831.
1st Edition. Hardcover. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Very Good. Item #003740
8vo (230 x 145 mm). xvi, 391  pp., including half-title and some woodcut text illustrations. Original brown cloth, spine with publisher's printed paper label, original endpapers (covers soiled and spotted, spine tanned, corners bumped, cloth at head of spine slightly frayed, paper label with abrasion affecting 4 letters). All pages uncut and partly unopened. Text with very light even age toning and very minor occasional spotting, light dust-soiling to outer margins of a few leaves. In all crisp and clean throughout. Provenance: Charles Sidey, Perth (bookseller's ticket to front pastedown). A very good, highly unsophisticated copy. ----
VERY RARE FIRST EDITION. In the appendix p. -391 the author outlines the fundamental principle of natural selection.
In 1831, Matthew published a book titled On Naval Timber and Arboriculture, in which he proposed a theory of natural selection, pre-dating Charles Darwin's publication of "On the Origin of Species" by 28 years. Matthew argues that species evolved through a process of natural selection, with individuals that were better adapted to their environment having a greater chance of surviving and passing on their traits to their offspring. He also suggested that evolution occurred through the gradual accumulation of small changes over long periods of time. Although Matthew's ideas were not widely recognized or accepted in his lifetime, they are now considered to be a significant contribution to the development of the theory of evolution. Darwin later admitted that Matthew had anticipated him. He writes to Wallace in 1860 "He gives most clearly but very briefly . . . our view of Natural Selection. It is a most complete case of anticipation". Darwin acknowledges Matthew in the historical sketch of On the origin of species.
Matthew is considered the first to clearly and completely anticipate the Darwin-Wallace theory. He used the expression "natural process of selection" and was acknowledged by Darwin in the third and subsequent editions of his Origin: "Mr. Patrick Matthew ... gives precisely the same view on the origin of species as that . . . propounded by Mr. Wallace and myself." Matthew's anticipation of Darwin is found in the appendix to his little-read book on arboriculture; however, he gives no scientific evidence for his view. Even so, Matthew had cards printed up identifying himself as "the discoverer of natural selection." - Visit our website to see more images!
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