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Nature · In English · 1859

On the Origin of Species

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin's 1859 book on how living things change over time by natural selection, with the examples and arguments behind the idea.

40 chapters · about 11 h of reading

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Opening the book

Opening the book

How the book begins

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“But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as this—we can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated interpositions of Divine power, exerted in each particular case, but by the establishment of general laws.”

“To conclude, therefore, let no man out of a weak conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied moderation, think or maintain, that a man can search too far or be too well studied in the book of God’s word, or in the book of God’s works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavour an endless progress or proficience in both.”

Contents

  1. 01Opening
  2. 02Opening
  3. 03Chapter I. Variation Under Domestication (1/3)
  4. 04Chapter I. Variation Under Domestication (2/3)
  5. 05Chapter I. Variation Under Domestication (3/3)
  6. 06Chapter II. Variation Under Nature
  7. 07Chapter III. Struggle for Existence
  8. 08Chapter IV. Natural Selection (1/4)
  9. 09Chapter IV. Natural Selection (2/4)
  10. 10Chapter IV. Natural Selection (3/4)
  11. 11Chapter IV. Natural Selection (4/4)
  12. 12Chapter V. Laws of Variation (1/3)
  13. 13Chapter V. Laws of Variation (2/3)
  14. 14Chapter V. Laws of Variation (3/3)
  15. 15Chapter VI. Difficulties on Theory (1/3)
  16. 16Chapter VI. Difficulties on Theory (2/3)
  17. 17Chapter VI. Difficulties on Theory (3/3)
  18. 18Chapter VII. Instinct (1/3)
  19. 19Chapter VII. Instinct (2/3)
  20. 20Chapter VII. Instinct (3/3)
  21. 21Chapter VIII. Hybridism (1/3)
  22. 22Chapter VIII. Hybridism (2/3)
  23. 23Chapter VIII. Hybridism (3/3)
  24. 24Chapter IX. On the Imperfection of the Geological Record (1/2)
  25. 25Chapter IX. On the Imperfection of the Geological Record (2/2)
  26. 26Chapter X. On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings (1/3)
  27. 27Chapter X. On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings (2/3)
  28. 28Chapter X. On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings (3/3)
  29. 29Chapter XI. Geographical Distribution (1/3)
  30. 30Chapter XI. Geographical Distribution (2/3)
  31. 31Chapter XI. Geographical Distribution (3/3)
  32. 32CHAPTER XII. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION—continued (1/2)
  33. 33CHAPTER XII. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION—continued (2/2)
  34. 34Chapter XIII. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs (1/4)
  35. 35Chapter XIII. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs (2/4)
  36. 36Chapter XIII. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs (3/4)
  37. 37Chapter XIII. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs (4/4)
  38. 38Chapter XIV. Recapitulation and Conclusion (1/3)
  39. 39Chapter XIV. Recapitulation and Conclusion (2/3)
  40. 40Chapter XIV. Recapitulation and Conclusion (3/3)

About this edition

Public domain: the author died in 1882, more than seventy years ago, and the book was first published in 1859. It is free to read, copy and share in the EU, Russia and the United States.

We removed the source's wrapper, rejoined the lines and split the book into chapters. The words are the author's.

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