188 CRITICISMS ON " THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES " 



from an ordinary Ewe's ovum. Indeed we have always 

 thought that Mr. Darwin has unnecessarily hampered 

 himself by adhering so strictly to his favourite " Natura 

 non facit saltum." We greatly suspect that she does make 

 considerable jumps in the way of variation now and then, 

 and that these saltations give rise to some of the gaps 

 which appear to exist in the series of known forms. 



Strongly and freely as we have ventured to disagree with 

 Professor Kolliker, we have always done so with regret, 

 and we trust without violating that respect which is due, 

 not only to his scientific eminence and to the careful study 

 which he has devoted to the subject, but to the perfect 

 fairness of his argumentation, and the generous appreciation 

 of the worth of Mr. Darwin's labours which he always 

 displays. It would be satisfactory to be able to say as 

 much for M. Flourens. 



But the Perpetual Secretary of the French Academy of 

 Sciences deals with Mr. Darwin as the first Napoleon would 

 have treated an " ideologue " ; and while displaying a 

 painful weakness of logic and shallowness of information, 

 assumes a tone of authority, which always touches upon 

 the ludicrous, and sometimes passes the limits of good 

 breeding. 



For example (p. 56) : 



" M. Darwin continue : ' Aucune distinction absolue n'a 6t6 et 

 ne peut etre dtablie entre les espces et les varidtes.' Je vous ai 

 deji dit que vous vous trompiez ; une distinction absolue spare les 

 varidtes d'avec les especes." 



" Je vous ai dtjd. dit ; moi, M. le Secretaire perpetuel de 

 1' Academic des Sciences : et vous 



" ' Qui n'fites rien, 



Pas mfime Acadtfmicien ; 



what do you mean by asserting the contrary ? " Being 

 devoid of the blessings of an Academy in England, we are 

 unaccustomed to see our ablest men treated in this fashion, 

 even by a " Perpetual Secretary." 



Or again, considering that if there is any one quality of 

 Mr. Darwin's work to which friends and foes have alike 

 borne witness, it is his candour and fairness in admitting 

 and discussing objections, what is to be thought of M. 

 Flourens' assertion, that 



