On this day, the words 'Natural Selection' appear in print for the first time. Last month Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace gave a presentation on the theory of evolution for the Linnean Society in London. Today, their lecture is published in a magazine. The theory of evolution is born.
Today Wallace is largely forgotten. Yet, it was largely due to him that the theory was ever published. On June 18 of the same year, he wrote Darwin a letter describing his insights into the way animals, and plants, reproduce. Through what he called 'natural selection' (a term that Darwin was also using without Wallace's knowledge) organisms gradually become more resistant to the elements.
Darwin had been working for almost twenty years refining his theory of Natural Selection. It evolved on his journey with the Beagle, the ship of which Robert Fitzroy, the man behind The Shipping Forecast, was captain. Darwin’s observations on their visit to the remote Galapagos Islands were instrumental to his theory.
Darwin replied enthusiastically to Wallace's letter and suggested that they put their thoughts on Natural Selection into words, first in the form of a lecture and then also on paper.
Darwin decided to hurry up with the book he had been writing for almost twenty years. The intended publisher was pleased with the new enthusiasm, but continued to oppose the title Darwin came up with for his opus magnum: 'An Abstract of an Essay on the Origin of Species and Varieties through Natural Selection. Honestly, it doesn't really work.
A year later, On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published – the publisher had won some concessions. The public was primed for the 'revolutionary book' with a smart publicity campaign. The first printing of 1250 copies sold out in advance. It is still a widely read book. I went looking for the book today in a bookstore at Piccadilly, in the heart of London. There were seven copies in four different editions.
What about Wallace, you might rightly ask. Darwin developed his theory first, but Wallace does seem to have formulated his independently of the master. However, Wallace had no problem with Darwin's honour. In fact, he was the one who coined the term 'Darwinism' and Wallace called himself 'more Darwinist than Darwin himself'.
It remains a stunning theory. Initially Darwin was anxious about the reaction of Christians. He did receive plenty of criticism, but the Christian writer Charles Kingsley had no problem with his insights. "It seems venerable to me that God enables what he has created to repair the gaps he has consciously left behind.“ Darwin included this in the next edition of 'The Orgin ...'.
I worry that the humility with which Wallace left the honour to Darwin is now disappearing through natural selection. Hopefully not.