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 whole animal kingdom is a grand panorama of life, ever changing, ever new, and ever beautiful.
The world of life is a world of harmony and beauty, and it is our duty to preserve it.
The true greatness of a nation is to be found in its intellectual and moral development, not in its material wealth.
The universe is a vast and mysterious place, and we are but a small part of it.
The study of nature is the study of God.
The most important lesson that nature teaches us is that everything is connected.
The beauty of the natural world is a source of endless wonder and inspiration.
The struggle for existence is a constant and universal law of nature.
The fittest survive, and those that are not fit perish.
The action of natural selection is to preserve and accumulate variations that are beneficial to the individual.
The modification of species is a slow and gradual process.
The geographical distribution of animals is a key to understanding their evolution.
The Malay Archipelago is a region of immense biological diversity.
The study of butterflies has been a lifelong passion for me.
The human mind is capable of understanding the most complex phenomena of nature.
The spiritual world is as real as the material world.
The evidence for spiritualism is overwhelming.
The scientific method is the only reliable way to acquire knowledge.
The theory of natural selection is one of the greatest discoveries in the history of science.
The universe is governed by natural laws.
Contemporaries of Alfred Russel Wallace
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913).