Darwin's Bulldog

The year 2009 is the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species (24 November 1859) and the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth (12 February 1809).
The first edition of The Origin of Species, published on 24 November 1859. This date marks the beginning of modern biology.

Evolution is descent with modification (change in gene frequency), brought about by natural selection (differential reproduction), acting on the variations produced by mutation and other sources, with the environment doing the selection.

I include this chapter from the book Charles Darwin - The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man. By Tim M.Berra, is professor emeritus of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at the Ohio State University.

Darwin’s Bulldog
The Origin BECAME THE MAIN TOPIC of conversation in scientific circles, but Darwin remained secluded at Down. The first major test of how the scientific community would view his theory was at the British Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Oxford on 30 June 1860. Darwin did not attend, knowing that his supporters would champion his cause. The Bishop of Oxford, Samuel Wilberforce, known as “Soapy Sam” because of his slick oratory, was invited to reply to a paper on “civilization according to the Darwinian hypothesis.” It was obvious that Wilberforce had been coached by Richard Owen.

The meeting was crowded with about 1000 people, including reporters and politicians, and tension filled the air. The bishop paused during his monologue, turned to Huxley (who was representing Darwin), and asked whether it was on his grandfather’s or grandmother’s side that he was descended from an ape. The audience erupted with laughter at this insult. Huxley slowly arose, turned to the bishop and replied to the effect that given the choice of a lowly ape or a person of privilege such as my lord bishop who would introduce ridicule into a scientific discussion, he would unhesitatingly choose the ape! Pandemonium broke out, women swooned, undergraduates chanted “monkey, monkey,” and Fitzroy stalked out of the room holding a bible over his head and shouting “The Book! The Book!” This must have been an incredible moment and would make a wonderful movie scene. This is how Huxley earned the nickname “Darwin’s Bulldog.”

The Origin was translated into eleven European languages within Darwin’s lifetime and at least twenty-nine languages to date. The first Japanese edition was published in 1896, and the first Chinese edition in 1903.