strong, or is even brown” (vol. 2, pp. 21–2). The Darwin Correspondence Project transcribes a short note annotated by Darwin that ties him, Brodrick, and Variation together. A postcard written by an unidentified W.S.C. to the naturalist George Busk shows he had consulted Brodrick about Darwin’s observations on canaries in both Descent and Variation , noting that Darwin’s statement on jonquil- coloured birds “is not the case with [Brodrick’s] blood. Jonquils & Mealies being quite accidental . . . I have written to Mr B to ask for a pair of canaries but there is no chance of his having any to spare till the Autumn”. Busk forwarded the postcard to Darwin. 2 volumes, demy octavo. Original green cloth, spines lettered in gilt, covers panelled in blind, black coated endpapers, edges untrimmed. Numerous wood engravings in the text. Publisher’s catalogues at rear of each volume; 32 pp., dated April 1867, in first, and 2 pp., dated February 1868, in second. Contemporary pencilled ownership signature of “Wm Brodrick” at upper right corner of each title page, partially erased but still perfectly legible; a handwriting comparison confirms a match with those present in William Brodrick’s extra-illustrated copy of the second edition of Falconry in the British Isles (1873). Spine ends and corners bumped and rubbed, short tears at head of vol. 2 spine repaired with glue, cloth cockled in places, inner hinges discreetly repaired, outer leaves foxed, occasional damp staining in lower margins, contents otherwise fresh. A very good copy. ¶ Freeman 878; Norman 597. Darwin Correspondence Project , unattributed letter from one W.S.C. to George Busk, 5 April 1873, ref. DCP- LETT–8842; Robert L. Wallace, The Canary Book , 1893. £3,500 [158798] ad celeberrimum D. Gisbertum Voetium. Amsterdam: L. Elzevir, 1643 descartes’s most significant contribution to the querelle d’utrecht 40 DESCARTES, René. Epistola First edition of one of Descartes’s rarest works, his famous open letter to the Dutch Calvinist Gisbert Voetius (1589–1676), who as rector of the University of Utrecht engineered a condemnation of Cartesianism and accused Descartes of actively encouraging atheism. The so-called “Querelle d’ Utrecht” was a fierce public argument between Descartes and Voetius which lasted from 1639 until Descartes’s death in 1650. Descartes’ Letter was written as a response to two works by Voetius and his colleagues: the Confraternitas Mariana (1642) and the Admiranda Methodus (1643). Both attacked Descartes’s philosophy, and the
39
39 DARWIN, Charles. The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication. London: John Murray, 1868 the copy of distinguished bird breeder william brodrick First edition, second issue, of the first of Darwin’s works to use the phrase “survival of the fittest”, preceding by a year its appearance in any Origin of Species (the fifth edition); this copy from the library of William Brodrick, the co-author with Francis Henry Salvin and illustrator of Falconry in the British Isles (1855), an authority on avian variation. Brodrick (1814–1888) was a falconry enthusiast whose collection of working birds contained “most, if not all, of the hawks and falcons usually employed in modern falconry . . . Under his care, examples of the Greenland, Iceland, and Norwegian gerfalcons, sakers, and lanners lived for years, a source of admiration to all who saw them” (Fisher, p. 178). He was also among “the chief and most successful breeders extant” of canaries (Wallace, p. 170). In Variation under Domestication , Darwin takes canaries as a prime example of a domesticated animal which resists selective breeding: “In a few rare cases peculiarities fail to be inherited, apparently from the force of inheritance being too strong. I have been assured by breeders of the canary-bird that to get a good jonquil-coloured bird it does not answer to pair two jonquils, as the colour then comes out too
40
latter – attributed to Martin Schoock (1614–1669), a supporter of Voetius – charged Descartes with rejecting the traditional proofs for the existence of God. In his Letter , Descartes defended his philosophy at length and argued for the autonomy of human reason and religious tolerance. A Dutch translation was issued simultaneously (Amsterdam: Van Baerdt, 1643), and the original Latin was reprinted several times by the Elzevirs in the quarto editions of the Meditationes . Duodecimo (124 × 70 mm). Contemporary vellum, spine hand-lettered, gilt single fillet border and fleur-de-lys cornerpieces on covers, gilt gauffered edges. Woodcut printer’s device on title page, tailpieces, initials. Small gilt bookplate on front pastedown, with ink shelf marks, of Tibulle Desbarreaux-Bernard (1798–1880), a Toulousian doctor, author, and noted collector of incunables and Elzevir imprints in particular. Vellum a little splayed, spine and top edge darkened; contents browned, heavier to margins, with very occasional spots. Overall a very good, unsophisticated copy, presenting handsomely in contemporary vellum. ¶ Guibert 75 (1) (“très rare”); Willems 998. Theo Verbeek, “Descartes’s Letter to Voetius ”, Church History and Religious Culture , vol. 100, 2020, available online. £8,500 [156918]
38
38 DALÍ, Salvador. Symbols. Beverley Hills: Vanguard Studios, [1970] Artist’s proof of XVIII of XXV on Japon paper aside from the edition of 150 on Rives paper. Each print signed in pencil lower right by Dalí, numbered lower left. The prints are titled: Tete , L’Ange , Le Dragon , Le Cheval , La Fourme and Don Quichotte .
Quarto. Original white boards, “Dalí” embossed to front cover. Six loose original etchings from ink drawings printed in brown on Japon paper. Sheet sizes: 24.8 × 32.2 cm. Light rubbing to boards otherwise a bright set in excellent condition. ¶ Field 70–112. £8,000 [156803]
22
23
DECEMBER 2022
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator