Darwin’s Delay: A Reassessment of the Evidence

The suggestion that Darwin delayed publishing his species theory has long occupied a central part of his biographical storyline. The notion of a fretful delay reached a melodramatic apogee in Adrian Desmond and James Moore’s best-selling 1991 biography. Janet Browne’s acclaimed work downplayed the pathos but depicted a somewhat hesitant Darwin. In 2007 John van Wyhe upended this tableau, arguing that there was no evidence to support a secretive, fear-based delay. Contrary to van Wyhe, this essay suggests that Darwin was only selectively and strategically open about his belief in transmutation prior to his barnacle project. The 1844 appearance of the anonymously published Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation was one in a series of blows that prompted Darwin to reappraise the evidential requirements of his species theory. Nonetheless, much depends on how one interprets the barnacle project. Darwin’s decision to take on the whole group guaranteed its lengthy duration and effectively delayed his species work. The barnacle project could not be considered a necessary preparation, since it was not undertaken to address species theory problems. The evidence and insights Darwin gained from it were largely incidental and came after his decision to tackle the whole group. However, the credentialing motivations behind it were driven by field-generated self-doubts that are difficult to separate from fear. Darwin gained much-needed confidence from it and was far more open about his species theorizing afterward. The project helped Darwin become the authoritative figure he needed to be.