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 theory of natural selection provides a powerful framework for understanding the history of life.
The human intellect is a gift that allows us to comprehend the wonders of the universe.
The intricate adaptations of living organisms are a testament to the power of natural selection.
I have always believed that science and spirituality are not in conflict, but rather complementary.
The study of nature enriches our lives and expands our horizons.
I have been much struck by the fact that in all the cases of 'mimicry' that I have met with, the mimic is much rarer than the mimicked species.
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.
I am rather surprised that you should think I have not read your book. I have read it, and re-read it, and have been much struck by its ingenuity and the immense amount of labour you have bestowed upon it.
To discover and describe a new species is always a pleasure, but to discover a new law of nature is a far higher one.
The more I see of the world, the more I am convinced that the greatest of all humbugs is the 'practical man'.
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.
I have been a spiritualist for many years, and I have seen too much to doubt the reality of the phenomena.
The world is a much more wonderful place than we imagine.
My paper on the 'tendency of varieties to depart indefinitely from the original type' was written in a fit of malaria.
I am quite prepared to be laughed at for my opinions on spiritualism, but I have seen too much to be shaken.
The problem of the origin of species is one of the most interesting and important in the whole range of natural history.
I have always been a lover of nature, and I have always found her to be a most fascinating study.
It is a singular fact that the more we know of nature, the more wonderful she appears.
The human mind is capable of understanding almost anything, if it is properly directed.
I have always been a great admirer of Darwin's work, and I have always found him to be a most candid and generous opponent.
Contemporaries of Alfred Russel Wallace
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913).