The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals major revision which made Darwin "sick of the subject and myself, and the world". It quickly sold around 7,000 copies and was widely praised as a charming and accessible introduction to Darwin's evolutionary theories. A second edition was published by Darwin's son in 1890, without several revisions suggested by Darwin; these were not published until the third edition of 1999 (edited by Paul Ekman). Published as a sequel to "The Descent of Man", "The Expression" was assured of a wide readership in mid-Victorian England. However, the early death of George Romanes (1848 - 1894) robbed Darwin of a powerful advocate
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals shows how human emotions link mental states with bodily movement, and are genetically determined, deriving from purposeful animal actions. He comments on the implications of the book: a single origin for the entire human species, with universal human expressions; and he stresses the social value of expression, citing the emotional communication between mother and child. This was one of the first books to be illustrated with photographs – with seven heliotype plates – and the publisher John Murray warned that this "would poke a [terrible] hole in the profits". The published book assembled illustrations rather like a Victorian family album,