author
William Denton
1823–1883
A self-taught geologist, lecturer, and prolific nineteenth-century writer, this unusual figure moved from science and reform into the controversial world of psychometry and spiritual inquiry. His books mix popular science, debate, and bold speculation in a way that still feels distinctive.
1 Audiobook
The Deluge in the Light of Modern Science: A Discourse
by William Denton
About the author
Born in England on January 8, 1823, and later active in the United States, William Denton built a reputation as a self-taught geologist, lecturer, preacher, and author. He wrote widely and gave public lectures on science, religion, and social questions, reaching readers well beyond academic circles.
He is best remembered today for works that joined natural history with more unconventional ideas, especially his promotion of psychometry—the belief that objects could retain impressions of the past that sensitive people could read. That mix of earnest science writing and occult speculation made him a striking and controversial public figure in the nineteenth century.
Denton died on August 26, 1883, while returning from a speaking tour of Australia. For listeners coming to his work now, he offers a window into a period when geology, reform, religion, and spiritual experimentation often overlapped in surprising ways.