Science and scientists in Victorian and Edwardian literary novels: insights into the emergence of a new profession, Public Understand. Sci. 16 (2007) 205–222 comes as good reminder of, who the authors of the time were, and, of their efforts and those of the literary world to bring Science to the wider Public.
Correction to first post ref sidewiki in footnote refs.
"On the Origin of Species proved unexpectedly popular, with the entire stock of 1,250 copies oversubscribed when it went on sale to booksellers on 22 November 1859.[107] In the book, Darwin set out “one long argument” of detailed observations, inferences and consideration of anticipated objections.[108] His only allusion to human evolution was the understatement that “light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history”.[109] His theory is simply stated in the introduction: refs 107,108, 109 refer to an extensive account in Wikipedia.
As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.[110]
Darwin put a strong case for common descent, but avoided the then controversial term “evolution”, and at the end of the book concluded that;
There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.[111 in wikipedia]
Publication of the theory of natural selection
Link to Original post via Sidewiki
Comment: how from mouth to ear from web error-deformation to web error the facts and perhaps the truth can be deformed, or even manipulated! cf. my sidewiki above, -insufficiently researched, and much confusion over Darwin's story eg. obvious errors in dates also found in the following link, not the best way to defend against censorship!
eg.
National Coalition Against Censorship, NCAC