The Hampdenshire Wonder

Name: The Hampdenshire Wonder
Author: J.D. Beresford

The story revolves around a child born with an exceptionally high IQ and accelerated physical development. The child's abilities are exploited by his parents for financial gain, leading to a tragic outcome.

By J.D. Beresford · First published 1911 · Genre: Science Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Speculative Fiction · 60 chapters · 70,706 words

First lines

I could not say at which station the woman and her baby entered the train.

Since we had left London I had been engrossed in Henri Bergson's "Time and Free Will," as it is called in the English translation. I had been conscious of various stoppages and changes of passengers, but my attention had been held by Bergson's argument. I agreed with his conclusion in advance, but I wished to master his reasoning.

What this Textopian page supports

The Hampdenshire Wonder is listed on Textopian as a novel by J.D. Beresford, dated 1911 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: J.D. Beresford
Date: 1911 CE
Language: English
Genres: Science Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Literary Fiction, Social Commentary
Length: 70,706 words
Structure: 83 chapters, 1,576 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Hampdenshire Wonder by J.D. Beresford
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

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How does this novel by J.D. Beresford fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Science Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Science Fiction — The novel explores themes of human evolution and advanced intellect, characteristic of science fiction.
Philosophical Fiction — The book delves into philosophical questions about intelligence, society, and the nature of humanity.
Speculative Fiction — It speculates on the future of human development and the implications of extraordinary intelligence.
Literary Fiction — The writing style and character development align with the conventions of literary fiction.