The publication of Darwin’s The Origin of Species in 1859 marked a dramatic turning point in scientific thought.The volume had taken Darwin more than twenty years to publish, in part because he envisioned the storm of controversy it was certain to unleash. Indeed, selling out its first edition on its first day, The Origin of Species revolutionized science, philosophy, and theology.Darwin’s reasoned, documented arguments carefully advance his theory of natural selection and assertion that species were not created all at once by a divine hand but started with a few simple forms that mutated and adapted over time. Whether commenting on his own ill health, discussing his experiments to test instinct in bees, or relating a conversation about a South American burrowing rodent, Darwin’s monumental achievement is surprisingly personal and delightfully readable...

When on board H.M.S. Beagle, as naturalist, I was much struck with certain facts in the distribution of the inhabitants of South America, and in the geological relations of the present to the past inhabitants of that continent. These facts seemed to me to throw some light on the origin of species--that mystery of mysteries, as it has been called by one of our greatest philosophers. On my return home, it occurred to me, in 1837, that something might perhaps be made out on this question by patiently accumulating and reflecting on all sorts of facts which could possibly have any bearing on it.After five years’work I allowed myself to speculate on the subject, and drew up some short notes; these I enlarged in 1844 into a sketch of the conclusions, which then seemed to be probable: from that period to the present day I have steadily pursued the same object. I hope that I may be excnsed for entering on these personal details, as I give them toshow that I have not been hasty in coming to a decision...

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 VARLATION UNDER DOMESTICATION

Chapter 2 VARLATION UNDER NATURE

Chapter 3 STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE

Chapter 4 NATURAL SELECTION

Chapter 5 LAWS OF VARIATION

Chapter 6 DIFFICULTIES ON THEORY

Chapter 7 INSTINCT

Chapter 8 HYBRIDISM

Chapter 9 ON THE IMPERFECTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL RECORD

Chapter 10 ON THE GEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION OF ORGANIC BEINGS

Chapter 11 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Chapter 12 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION-continued

Chapter 13 MUTUAL AFFINITIES OF ORGANIC BEINGS:MORPHOLOGY:EMBRYOLOGY:RUDIMENTARY ORGANS

Chapter 14 RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSION

GLOSSARY