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not in nature that “ power of selection ” which is the 
very essence of the theory of Natural Selection. But 
it would be unjust to dismiss the consideration of this 
subject without giving a careful consideration to the 
remarkable contention, that what is not accomplished in 
a limited space or time may be confidently anticipated 
to take place on the whole and in the long run. 
Mr. Darwin contends that on his hypothesis the vari 
ations which take place in nature must be slight, and 
that the validity of his theory depends on this assumption. 
At the same time he recognises that there is a great 
amount of variation displayed by the individuals of a 
species at the present day. But instead of accepting this 
result as a proof of the weakness of his theory, he appeals, 
from the narrow experience of the present, to the large 
results of all time. 
“On the theory of Natural Selection we can clearly understand 
the full meaning of that old canon in Natural History, Natura non 
facit saltum. This canon, if we look to the present inhabitants 
of the world, is not strictly correct; but if we may include all those 
of past times, whether known or unknown, it must on this theory 
be strictly true.”—(Origin of Species, p. 166.) 
One can hardly trust oneself to make any remark on 
this passage, for fear of incurring the charge of mis 
representation, but the statement seems to amount to 
this. That which is false of a part of the organic world 
becomes true if you take in the whole. It is as though 
you were to say: A portion of the population has red 
hair, it is not true to say that they have all dark com 
plexions ; but if you include the whole nation from 
its earliest history to the present day, it will be found 
“ strictly true ” that they are all dark-complexioned. 
Speaking of the lapse of time, Mr. Darwin says :— 
“The mere lapse of time by itself does nothing either for or 
against Natural Selection. I say this because it has been erro-