The Wonderful Century
Its Successes and its Failures

First published in 1898, this book describes the scientific and technological achievements of the nineteenth century, together with its 'failures'.

Alfred Russel Wallace (Author)

9781108036795, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 November 2011

454 pages, 1 b/w illus. 12 tables
21.7 x 14 x 1.8 cm, 0.6 kg

The British naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913) was one of the leading evolutionary thinkers of the nineteenth century. He is best known for working in parallel with Darwin on evolution and natural selection. A social reformer and a prolific writer, he criticised the social and economic system in nineteenth-century Britain, and raised concerns over the environmental impact of human activity. First published in 1898, this book looks back over the history of the nineteenth century, and describes its material and intellectual achievements with the aim 'to show how fundamental is the change they have effected in our life and civilization'. The book surveys technological inventions such as the railway, the telegraph and telephone, as well as photography. But it also analyses the century's 'failures', and discusses the issues of poverty, greed and militarism.

Preface
Part I. Successes: 1. Modes of travelling
2. Labour-saving machinery
3. The conveyance of thought
4. Fire and light
5. New applications of light: photography
6. New applications of light: spectrum analysis
7. Theoretical discoveries in physics
8. Minor applications of physical principles
9. The importance of dust: a source of beauty and essential to life
10. A few of the great problems of chemistry
11. Astronomy and cosmic theories
12. Geology: the glacial epoch, and the antiquity of man
13. Evolution and natural selection
14. Popular discoveries in physiology
15. Estimate of achievements: the nineteenth as compared with earlier centuries
Part II. Failures: 16. The neglect of phrenology
17. The opposition to hypnotism and psychical research
18. Vaccination a delusion - its penal enforcement a crime
19. Militarism - the curse of civilization
20. The demon of greed
21. The plunder of the earth - conclusion
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH]