London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1879. First / First. Hardback. A very good copy. Uncommon. "Erchomenon; or, the Republic of Materialism is one of the earliest examples of dystopian fiction and a sleeper-awakes narrative in the tradition that Wells would later develop more famously. A Victorian English gentleman, reading by his fireside in 1877, finds himself transported to a technologically advanced future London whose aerial cars, compressed-air transport, and vast urban density suggest a world of material progress. For Watson, the technological progress is ironic backdrop to a darker argument. A society organized around French philosopher Auguste Comte's positivism and Darwin's natural selection, having expelled God and Christian faith, has produced something monstrous beneath its efficient surface. Children are separated from their parents at birth and raised collectively in state baby farms. Euthanasia is applied to the sick and infirm as a matter of routine. The first scene the protagonist witnesses on arrival is a doctor strangling an injured man on the street while the crowd watches with indifference. Marriage has been replaced by contract and Westminster Abbey by a Temple of Humanity. Christianity survives only in remote communities clinging to their old beliefs." [Mostly Dystopian Books]. A little rubbing to the edges, softening to the spine tips and a slight lean. Small stamp to the title page and front endpaper has a corner missing. Top edge dusty. Very Good. Item #13448