1 July 1858 and the 1844 essay: What Lyell and Hooker decided; and what Darwin did not want and did not know

Abstract

Two 'papers' of Darwin's were read at the famous 1 July 1858 meeting of the Linnean Society: an excerpt from his 1844 essay and a summary of his theory, enclosed in an 1857 letter to Asa Gray. Quite apart from not selecting the essay excerpt, Darwin's letters appear to indicate that he definitely did not want, and hence did not expect, an excerpt from his 1844 essay to be included (and that he did not learn of its inclusion until some 2 weeks after the meeting). As a result, we refine Darwin's role in 'the delicate arrangement', as well as the basis for Hooker's and Lyell's. In particular, why did they choose an essay excerpt to be presented contrary to Darwin's wishes? In direct opposition to the popular view, the essay excerpt was the afterthought, the last-minute add-on, not the enclosure to the Gray letter.