Principles of Geology, Being an Attempt to Explain the Former Changes of the Earth's Surface, by Reference to Causes Now in Operation.
London: John Murray, 1830-3. First edition. Three volumes. 8vo. Recent period style speckled dark calf, spines with raised bands, gilt lettered green and red labels, all edges speckled red, the old armorial bookplates of George Fortescue Wilbraham to the front pastedowns. Frontispieces to each volume including two hand coloured aquatints, 3 maps, two of which are coloured, and 6 plates plus 133 illustrations in the text. Some foxing to the plates slightly affecting the adjacent leaves, otherwise a clean and attractive set. A classic of 19th century thought and of the young science of Geology. The work was an enormous influence on Darwin, who took volume I on the Beagle and received the second volume whilst in South America. He later wrote to a friend "I always feel as if my books came half out of Lyell's brain". "...Lyell probably accomplished more in the advancement of geological knowledge than any other one man. The world wide influence of his treatises and textbooks definitely established the principles of uniformitarianism" (Mather and Mason). PMM, 344. Donovan, pp. 87-89. Item #29226
Price: £8,000.00