Some books have made the erroneous assumption that the important thing in evolution is the good of the species (or the group) rather than the good of the individual (or the gene).
It was a critical instant: the pirouette -- it would fail, she feared. … the rapid whirl achieved in exact time, the whole evolution executed to perfection.
1825, Theodore Edward Hook, Sayings and Doings: Passion and principle:
… as he beheld the tenfold pirouette of a lovely girl, which presented to the public eye the whole of her form and figure; … to praise the dexterity and ease with which the unfortunate and degraded creature had performed the ungraceful evolution, the only merit of which, is the gross exposition of person, at which modesty shudders …
1863, Knightley Willia Horlock, The master of the hounds:
"Look now, that pirouette -- my stars! how Beauchamp would stare to see his darling perform such an evolution!"
1869, William Clarke, The boys own book'':
By this operation each foot will describe an arc or segment of a circle. … This evolution is performed sometimes on one foot, sometimes on the other …