Scripture and Science

Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation

By: Robert Chambers

Collection ID

PBK.007441

Type

Printed Book

Date

1845

Geography

United States

Language

English

Medium

Printed on Paper

Dimensions

8.3 × 5.1 × 1.2 in. (21 × 13 × 3 cm)

Exhibit Location

Not on View

This is the first American edition (and third overall) of Robert Chambers’s Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, one of the earliest texts to outline an evolutionary history of life and the world. Chambers believed that evolution was perfectly compatible with traditional religion, viewing the natural laws that guided the development of life as a testimony to the wisdom of the Divine Author. When Vestiges appeared in 1844, it quickly became a best seller, but many Christians decried its religious implications. Meanwhile, many scientists, including Charles Darwin, viewed the author’s scientific claims as undeveloped and amateurish. Chambers’s identity remained a secret for over 40 years.

Printed in 1845 by Wiley and Putnam, New York, New York. Acquired by 1963 by John E. Woodman.[1] Acquired by 2020 by Ted Steinbock, private collector, Louisville, Kentucky; Privately purchased in 2020 by Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC.

Notes: [1] A handwritten note on the front flyleaf reads, “John E Woodman 6 February 1963.” Another note on the title page reads, “Mrs Hamilton from Husband.” It is not clear whether Mrs. Hamilton possessed the book before or after John Woodman.

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