Retaining his honour
 |
Ever since Darwin had written down the principles of his theory on the development of species through natural selection, he had kept it under his hat. He had from time to time debated his theory with close friends, but did not want to publish the theory, before he was able to finish his multi-volume work on evolution.
With the letter from Wallace the problem for Darwin was now finding out how to reestablish his reputation and at the same time make sure that Wallace was treated respectfully. A plan was made in corporation with Charles Lyell and the botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker. At a meeting in the Linnean Society in London on July 1st, Darwin’s original yet not published manuscript was read aloud along with Wallace’s manuscript. Neither Darwin nor Wallace were present. Wallace was not even aware of the event. Both were credited for the discovery – although everyone could tell that Darwin was first with the idea. Darwin and Wallace remained friends.
After the publication Darwin became busy writing ”a short summary”. That turned into the book we today know as On the Origin of Species, which was published on November 24th 1859. Darwin himself made sure that Wallace received a copy.
Peter C. Kjærgaard
