Darwin developed his theory of evolution in 1838 but published it 21 years later. Why? Was he afraid of sounding heretical? No, evolution was a heresy but a common and well-discussed one.
He was afraid of exposing something far more heretical: Philosophical Materialism - the idea that matter is the stuff of all existence and all mental and spiritual phenomena are its by-products.
The most ardent materialists of the 19th century, Marx and Engels, recognized Darwin's accomplishment. In fact, Marx offered to dedicate volume 2 of Das Kapital to Darwin (who declined since he hadn't read the German work)
Darwin eventually published The Origin of Species in 1869 but only because A. R. Wallace was about to scoop him.
Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History by Stephen Jay Gould
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