Visions of Science: Books and Readers at the Dawn of the Victorian Age by James A. Secord (review)

Visions of Science provides a well-written and carefully-researched examination of the early Victorian age through the lens of science texts and their readers. Bridging the sub-disciplines of science and book history, James A. Secord, a professor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and director of the Darwin Correspondence Project, presents readers with an in-depth look at the emergence of modern scientific thought through seven key texts and the people who read them.

Secord identifies this period as one of “projections, projects, and prophesies, of attempts to imagine the future” (237) and the title of the book effectively describes this transitional time. Rather than simply selecting seven titles focusing on specific scientific concepts or theories, Secord chose to explore the emergence of modern science through texts that reflect the broader meaning of science and its relationship with society.

Before jumping into a discussion of each title, Secord offers an overview of early Victorian life including the state of scientific inquiry, political thinking, and book publishing in Britain. Secord notes that the lowered cost of printing enabled broader societal access to books and specifically science texts. In addition to the commercial ramifications, groups like the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge believed that access to knowledge would have intellectual, religious, and political implications. These groups published inexpensive books and pamphlets intended for middle and working class audiences in the hopes of increasing self-education.

Like his earlier work, Victorian Sensation: The Extraordinary Publication, Reception, and Secret Authorship of ‘Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation,’ this book focuses on the intersection of science and book history. In Visions of Science, Secord uses seven texts to provide a context for discussing the emergence of modern science and scientific thinking, the evolving book-publishing industry, and changes in book readership.

It is important to note that Secord’s selections are not so much about the science itself, but about the philosophy of science. He notes that the texts “fired the imagination of a generation that believed that science was on the verge of transforming the human condition” (236). Woven throughout the seven chapters are examples that reflect the impact of each work on individual readers. From naturalists like Charles Darwin to well-known authors and socialites, the lives and works of featured readers are impacted in many ways. Secord’s enlightening vignettes show a readership sometimes inspired and in other instances overwhelmed by modern science.

Secord is most effective when exploring the connections between science and society. In Consolations in Travel (1830), Humphrey Davy describes the progress of humanity and in Reflections on the Decline of Science in England (1830), Charles Babbage laments the corruption and fraud in the scientific community. Secord’s inclusion of a work written by Mary Somerville is just one of many nods to the changing role of women in society as both authors and readers.

Each chapter provides a glimpse into perspectives on science in the decade around 1830. Secord notes that in a time of growing global commerce and urban living, reading had the potential to impact this class-based society. Although focused on life in Britain, the author notes that societies around the world would soon be facing “the challenges of the new order of industry and empire” (ix). Each chapter discusses science within the context of divine providence and reflects the sense of European superiority and class-structure of the times.

Although it could be argued that other titles of the period might have been included, Secord’s selections are effective in building an engaging narrative highlighting the fascinating relationship between science texts and readers of the period. These associations lay the groundwork for new thinking about the study of science book history that could be applied to other time periods.

The book concludes with...