关于达尔文 的英语的翻译

关于达尔文 的英语的翻译
Elwin’s sage advice was ignored, and On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life was published in late November 1859, priced at fifteen shillings.The first edition of 1,250 copies sold out on the first day.
It has never been out of print, and scarcely out of controversy, in all the time since—not bad going for a man whose principal other interest was earthworms and who, but for a single impetuous decision to sail around the world, would very probably have passed his life
as an anonymous country parson known for, well, for an interest in earthworms.
这个 第二段的翻译, 不是很明白 那个意思.求高手详细指点一下~ 谢谢啦