[Review Of The Descent Of Man And Selection In Relation To Sex] The Edinburgh Review, Or Critical Journal: Vol Xxxiv, JULY-OCTOBER, 1871 [Dawkins, William Boyd] [Darwin, Charles; Wallace, Alfred Russel Etc] Evolution,Reference

1st Edition, 8vo (22cm), (ii),604pp, recent quarter green calf. Decent of Man Review: p.195-235. Binding tight. No previous names. Some foxing to first and last few leaves. One of the earliest reviews of Darwin's Descent is presented with analysis of two freshly published, related works: Wallace's 'Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection' and Mivart's 'On the Genesis of Species'. The Descent of Man first appeared in February 1871 and this review, published in July of that year, is a scathing one warning readers of the impending dangers posed by Darwin's views. The anonymous author was the palaeontologist William Boyd Dawkins (1837–1929), who - curiously - was not only a beneficiary of Darwin's patronage but had a long-standing and very warm correspondence with the author of the 'Origin', and had publicly declared himself in favour of Darwin's theories. Not only that, Dawkins' copy of the Descent was a gift from Darwin himself and (in a sycophantic note of thanks) he gushed that he was "devouring" the book! It has been argued (see Meiring, H.: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A, Volume 89, October 2021, pp 267-282) that Dawkins feigned a pro-Darwinian stance in order to promote himself as a relevant and important Scientist of the Victorian era, while - in secret - attempting to discredit Darwin and dismantle his arguments through anonymous reviews such as this one.