124 THE THEORY OF MUTATION 
of quite recent date, and their recognition is largely 
due to the exertions of Bateson. But the idea that 
this is the way in which evolution takes place is very 
ancient, and seems to have been guessed at by Aristotle. 
Perhaps the earliest use of the actual word ‘muta- 
tion’ in this sense is to be found in ‘ Pseudodoxia 
Epidemica,’ by Dr. Thomas Browne. I quote from 
Book VI., chapter x., ‘Of the Blackness of Negroes ’* 
(second edition, 1650) : ‘ We may say that men became 
black in the same manner that some Foxes, Squirrels, 
Lions, first turned of this complection, whereof there 
are a constant sort in diverse Countries; that some 
Chaughes came to have red legges and bills, that Crows 
became pyed; All which mutations, however they 
began, depend upon durable foundations, and such 
as may continue for ever.’ 
The experiments upon cross-breeding, which are 
described in a later chapter, will be found fully to bear 
out the idea that ‘ mutations,’ or definite character- 
istics which have arisen in a definite way, do depend 
upon durable foundations. 
The late Professor Huxley’s emphatic approval of 
the ‘ Origin of Species,’ as signalized in his reviews of 
the first edition of that work, was tempered by the 
following mild criticism: ‘Mr. Darwin’s position 
might, we think, have been even stronger than it is 
if he had not embarrassed himself with the aphorism 
‘Natura non facit saltum,” which turns up so often 
in his pages. We believe... that Nature does make 
jumps now and then, and a recognition of the fact is 
* I am indebted to my friend Mr. R. C. Punnett for this 
reference. 
