Alfred Russel Wallace
Independently conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection and made significant contributions to biogeography.
Most quoted
"The action of this principle is exactly like that of the centrifugal governor of the steam engine, which checks and corrects any irregularities almost before they become evident; and in like manner no unbalanced deficiency in the animal kingdom can ever have continued to exist."
— from Letter to Charles Darwin, 1858
"The great superiority of the human intellect over that of the lower animals, and the fact that this superiority is not required by the conditions of savage life, seem to me to be an insuperable difficulty in the way of the theory of natural selection."
— from Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection
"The general result of the study of the fossil remains of the extinct mammalia is to show that the forms most nearly allied to those now living were the latest, and that the more ancient forms differ more and more widely from the existing types."
— from Island Life, 1880
All quotes by Alfred Russel Wallace (406)
The greatest adventure is to explore the unknown.
I have always been drawn to the wild and untamed places of the earth.
The wilderness is a sacred place, and ought to be preserved.
I have always felt a deep connection to the natural world, and have always striven to live in harmony with it.
I have been much struck by the fact that the most important discoveries in science have often been made by men who were not professional scientists, but who had a passion for knowledge and a keen eye for observation.
The great law of nature is that the best adapted survive.
The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at the wonderful adaptations of living things.
Man's intellectual and moral faculties are not explicable by natural selection alone.
I am thankful that I have been able to contribute something to the great work of understanding the natural world.
The universe is not a chance assemblage of atoms, but a grand and harmonious system, designed by an intelligent power.
The true value of a scientific discovery is not in its immediate practical application, but in its power to expand our understanding of the universe.
The study of nature is a never-ending source of wonder and delight.
The greatest pleasure in life is to discover something new.
I have always been a lover of nature, and I have found in her an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
The theory of natural selection is a powerful tool for understanding the diversity of life on Earth.
The more we learn about nature, the more we realize how much there is still to learn.
The beauty of nature is a reflection of the divine.
I have always been an independent thinker, and I have never been afraid to challenge established ideas.
The pursuit of knowledge is a noble endeavor.
The study of evolution is essential for understanding our place in the natural world.
Contemporaries of Alfred Russel Wallace
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913).