Catalogue of the Library of Charles Darwin Now in the Botany School, Cambridge

For those engaged in research on Darwin or his circle, the Darwin Library is a treasure trove. It contains hand-written scribbles on book pages, note-filled scraps of paper pinned to back covers and personal inscriptions from mentors such as J. S. Henslow. It provides fascinating insights into Darwin's own reading, for example that he read Patrick Matthew's On Naval Timber and Arboriculture, dated 1831, which speaks of the 'natural process of selection among plants', long before he published The Origin of Species (1859). First published in 1908, this catalogue to the Darwin Library collection, with an introduction by Darwin's son Francis, provides a gateway into Darwin's thought, research and intellectual context, via his personal books and pamphlets. The book lists works in English and other languages, and contains bibliographic information, including the original publisher and date of publication, together with details of translations.