Claim: Cyrus Smith, one of the protagonists of Jules Verne's 1875 novel The Mysterious Island, is a selfless and courageous man with practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, and botany.
Evidence: Cyrus Smith (named Cyrus Harding in some English translations) is one of the protagonists of Jules Verne's 1875 novel The Mysterious Island. He is selfless, noble, honest, courageous, and utterly devoted to his companions. His practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, botany, navigation, and many other fields enables the Mysterious Island's colonists to quickly establish a thriving mini-civilization in isolation from the rest of the world.