Reactions to On the Origin of Species which all forms of evolutionism were identified with Darwinism. For a description of Darwin's life, work and influences in the following period see the article: Darwin from Orchids to Variation. Note: this article uses Desmond and Moore, "Darwin", as a general reference. Other references used for specific points or quotations. Reactions to On the Origin of Species The immediate reactions to "On the Origin of Species", the book in which Charles Darwin described evolution by natural selection, included international debate, though the heat of controversy was less than that over earlier works such as "Vestiges of Creation". Darwin monitored the
On the Origin of Species disperse across oceans to colonise distant islands. By 1856, his theory was much more sophisticated, with a mass of supporting evidence. In his autobiography, Darwin said he had "gained much by my delay in publishing from about 1839, when the theory was clearly conceived, to 1859; and I lost nothing by it". On the first page of his 1859 book he noted that, having begun work on the topic in 1837, he had drawn up "some short notes" after five years, had enlarged these into a sketch in 1844, and "from that period to the present day I have steadily