On the Origin of Species that nature and human society were governed by natural laws. The "Origin of Species" as a book of wide general interest became associated with ideas of social reform. Its proponents made full use of a surge in the publication of review journals, and it was given more popular attention than almost any other scientific work, though it failed to match the continuing sales of "Vestiges". Darwin's book legitimised scientific discussion of evolutionary mechanisms, and the newly coined term "Darwinism" was used to cover the whole range of evolutionism, not just his own ideas. By the mid-1870s, evolutionism was triumphant. While
Reactions to On the Origin of Species those defending immutability of species, and in effect said that the book offered the best explanation "ever published of the manner of formation of species", though he did not agree with it in all respects. He still had the gravest doubts that transmutation would bestialise man. It appears that Darwin had assured Owen that he was looking at everything as resulting from designed laws, which Owen interpreted as showing a shared belief in "Creative Power". Darwin had already made his views clearer to others, telling Lyell that if each step in evolution was providentially planned, the whole procedure would be