Why did Charles Darwin delay making his idea of natural selection known to the public?

Why did Charles Darwin delay making his idea of natural selection known to the public?

This mysterious 20-year interval has become known as “Darwin’s delay” or “the long wait”. Most historians argue that Darwin kept the theory secret because he was afraid of the reaction it might provoke among his peers and of damaging his reputation.

What was Darwin working toward before he would publish his theory?

His project was highly ambitious and of immense scope and he needed time to garner the necessary...