J. D. Beresford

In this pioneering science-fictional treatment of superhuman intelligence, a mutant wonder child s insights prove devastating. Science fiction luminary Ted Chiang introduces The Hampdenshire Wonder, one of the genre's first treatments of superhuman intelligence. Victor Stott is a large-headed supernormal mutated in the womb by his parents desire to have a child born without habits. Known as the Wonder, Victor surveys humankind s science, philosophy, history, literature, religion the best that has been thought and said and dismisses it brutally: So elementary inchoate a disjunctive patchwork. Rejecting the interposing and utterly false concepts of space and time, the Wonder claims that life itself is merely a disease of the ether. Unable to deal with the child's disenchanting insights, his adult interlocutors seek to silence him perhaps permanently. J. D. Beresford (1873 1947) was an English dramatist, journalist, and author. A great admirer of H. G. Wells, he published the first critical study of Wells's scientific romances in 1915. In addition to The Hampdenshire Wonder (1911), an early and influential proto-sf novel about super-intelligence, his genre novels include A World of Women (1913), Revolution (1921), and The Riddle of the Tower (1944, with Esme Wynne-Tyson).

"The Jervaise Comedy" by J. D. Beresford is a satirical comedy that delves into the intricacies of family drama and social dynamics within English society during the Victorian era. Set against the backdrop of London, the novel presents a witty and insightful portrayal of the complexities arising from social class, wealth, and ambition. Beresford masterfully weaves together a tapestry of intrigue and romance, as eccentric characters navigate through a web of secrets and relationships. Through sharp wit and clever humor, the author offers a lighthearted yet incisive commentary on the idiosyncrasies of Victorian society. At its core, "The Jervaise Comedy" explores the interplay between ambition and social expectations, revealing the absurdities and foibles of the upper echelons of society. As the Jervaise family grapples with their own ambitions and desires, their interactions provide a rich source of comedic drama. With its blend of satire, comedy, and drama, "The Jervaise Comedy" offers readers a delightful romp through the eccentricities of Victorian London, while also shedding light on timeless themes of family, ambition, and the pursuit of happiness.

Under No artificial code of honor governs the action of "The Prisoners of Hartling." The reader may wonder at our bringing Mr. Beresford into this company. But this is the Beresford of "The Jervaise Comedy," not him of "Jacob Stahl." He has here written a novel with an idea, rather than a novel of interpretation. He takes a motto from Ecclesiastes, "There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun: namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt." His is a familiar idea in British fiction, the idea of the enslavement of a large circle of blood-relations to the head of the family by reason of his autocratic powers for the ultimate disposal of that sacred possession, the family property. Mr. Beresford gives the situation a romantic turn by investing his ninety-five year old autocrat with almost uncanny powers of persuasion as well as of direct intimidation. His authority is a bubble; but it remains inviolate for generations, and only the dutch courage of love enables our hero to touch and shatter it. To tell the truth, our hero is not much of a hero, romantically speaking, and we don't quite make out what his Eleanor (who does very well as a heroine) sees in him. So far as the Kenyon tribe at large are concerned, the story ends with a punch worthy of our own most accomplished tale-smiths.-The Independent 1922] This story shows the force of a dominating personality and the inertia produced in those enmeshed in its web.

Under No artificial code of honor governs the action of "The Prisoners of Hartling." The reader may wonder at our bringing Mr. Beresford into this company. But this is the Beresford of "The Jervaise Comedy," not him of "Jacob Stahl." He has here written a novel with an idea, rather than a novel of interpretation. He takes a motto from Ecclesiastes, "There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun: namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt." His is a familiar idea in British fiction, the idea of the enslavement of a large circle of blood-relations to the head of the family by reason of his autocratic powers for the ultimate disposal of that sacred possession, the family property. Mr. Beresford gives the situation a romantic turn by investing his ninety-five year old autocrat with almost uncanny powers of persuasion as well as of direct intimidation. His authority is a bubble; but it remains inviolate for generations, and only the dutch courage of love enables our hero to touch and shatter it. To tell the truth, our hero is not much of a hero, romantically speaking, and we don't quite make out what his Eleanor (who does very well as a heroine) sees in him. So far as the Kenyon tribe at large are concerned, the story ends with a punch worthy of our own most accomplished tale-smiths.-The Independent 1922] This story shows the force of a dominating personality and the inertia produced in those enmeshed in its web.

This book has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.

This book "" The Hampdenshire Wonder "" has been considered important throughout the human history. It has been out of print for decades. So that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.

Reproduction of the original: The Hampdenshire Wonder by J. D Beresford