Charles Darwins First Published Contribution

Stephens, James Francis, Illustrations of British Entomology, published 1828 - 1835, supplement, 1846, 12 vols, 8vo, quarter leather, marbled boards, complete set, fine hand-coloured, engraved plates by C.M. Curtis and J.O. Westwood, Mandibulata in 7 vols (39 plates), Haustellata in 4 vols (41 plates), plus the Supplement (17 plates)

Condition: heavily scuffed, worn, spines fragile with some loss to head or foot; several joints partly split to top or bottom.

James Francis Stephens (1792-1852) was a notable English entomologist. During his time as a student at the University of Cambridge, Charles Darwin shared with Stephens some of the insects he had collected. Darwin was pleasantly surprised to find that his contributions were acknowledged in 33 entries, with his words being quoted in all but two cases. One such instance can be found in Haustellata, Vol. II, page 200, where Stephens records the presence of the common noctuid moth Graphiphora plecta at Cambridge. This particular entry, dated June 1st, 1829, marks Darwin's first published contribution in a book, as indicated by Freeman (1977, pp. 19-20). In his autobiography, Darwin fondly recalled the moment, likening his joy to that of a poet witnessing their first poem in print: "No poet ever felt more delight at seeing his first poem published than I did at seeing in Stephen's Illustrations of British Insects the magic words, 'captured by C. Darwin, Esq.'"