evolution as radicalism

First edition of this popular explanation of Darwinian evolution and the published works of Charles Darwin by the teacher and radical activist Edward B. Aveling (1849-1908), published by his lover, the socialist and women's rights advocate Annie Besant (1847-1933).

Aveling began his career as a teacher during the early 1870s and quickly rose to the position of lecturer at several prominent London institutions. But he forfeited this path after announcing his atheism around 1879, and began writing and teaching exclusively for the National Secular Society, of which Annie Besant was one of the leaders.

'The educational programmes at its hall of science in Old Street, London, were largely run by him. These were very successful, and Aveling was clearly a talented teacher. He made a living as a coach and published several textbooks, on biology, chemistry, botany, physiology, and physics. His atheism was informed by his reading of Darwin and he published several articles and pamphlets on Darwinism as well as a book, The Student's Darwin (1881)' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography). In 1884 Aveling split with the NSS and Besant when he announced that he would begin living with Karl Marx's eldest daughter, Eleanor, and the pair eventually went on to found the Socialist League under William Morris. Aveling worked on the English translations of Das Kapital and Engels's Socialism, Utopian and Scientific, and was one of Marx's trusted popularisers.

First edition; errata leaf, 24-page publisher's ads dated January, 1882, ownership signature to the title and half title, contents faintly toned with some light spotting on the edges of the text block; original green cloth blocked in gilt and black, cloth a little rubbed and spotted with wear at the corners and ends of spine, very good condition; 339pp.