= The_Hampdenshire

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= The_Hampdenshire_Wonder =
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Introduction
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'The Hampdenshire Wonder' is a science fiction novel by J. D.
Beresford, first published 1911. It is one of the first novels to
involve a wunderkind (child prodigy). The child, Victor Stott, is the
son of a famous cricket player. This origin is perhaps a reference to
H. G. Wells's father Joseph Wells, a cricketer. The novel concerns his
progress from infant to almost preternaturally clever child. Victor
Stott is deformed subtly to allow for his powerful brain. A prominent,
and unpleasant, character is the local minister. As Beresford's father
was a minister, and Beresford was himself partially disabled, some see
autobiographical aspects to the story. However this is unproven.

What is more definite is that the story of Christian Heinrich Heineken
(1721-1725) was an inspiration for the story. Whether the biography of
that child prodigy was accurate or not, "the Lubeck prodigy" is
mentioned in the work. In the original version, the progressionist
ideas of Henri Bergson concerning evolution were a significant
influence.

Reception and influence
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Upon publication in 1911, 'The Hampdenshire Wonder' was praised by
George Bernard Shaw.

In 1971 Graham Greene wrote that "'The Hampdenshire Wonder' remains
one of the finest and most neglected novels of this period between the
great wars."

Olaf Stapledon also read 'The Hampdenshire Wonder'; the novel
influenced Stapledon's own novel of a superhuman, 'Odd John'.

Sources
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*
* George M. Johnson. 'J.D. Beresford'. New York: Twayne/Simon and
Schuster, 1998.
* George M. Johnson. "The Other Side of Edwardian Fiction: Two
Forgotten Fantasy Novels of 1911" 'Wormwood: Literature of the
fantastic, supernatural and decadent'. U.K., No. 16 (Spring 2011)
3-15.
* George M. Johnson. "Evil is in the Eye of the Beholder: Threatening
Children in Two Edwardian Speculative Satires". 'Science Fiction
Studies'. Vol. 41, No.1 (March 2014): 26-44.

External links
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*
*
*[http://www.sfsite.com/04a/won78.htm SF Site review of "The Wonder" ]
*[http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue62/wonder_kids1.html Review
at a science fiction webzine]

License
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Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hampdenshire_Wonder