Part 2

"But individual education is a very small portion of the good which we aspire to teach--(these people really are mad; their ambition is unbounded!). We will educate nations; and nothing can prevent us from fulfilling this mission, but the destruction of the human race. We will tell the men of every country their faults and their vices, their virtues and their talents, and hold them up as clearly as size and form can be held up, to the notice of mankind. None shall escape us. Already, not only Europeans,--English, French, Germans, Italians,--the most enlightened, the most refined of men, have we scrutinized, but Asiatics under every latitude, Africans thirsting on both sides of the Equator, Americans as wild as Africans, as civilized as Europeans. We have told truths to all, and pointed out the means of improvement. At this moment, indeed, they may not listen to us, but the day will come when they will advance but by us. To us is given to decide the great question of original national propensities, as of individual propensities, and to show how they may be expanded or repressed. We shall instruct rulers how to govern, and subjects how to submit, and strike the just balance--as various as the races and the regions of the earth--between the sovereign and the people; and the first time that we inspire oppressed reason to demand her rights, and to demand no more--that we teach men how much liberty they can bear, how much privation they must yet endure, we shall have our full reward.

"So much for the practical pretensions of our science. The reader must now hear our claims to speculative superiority. Dr. Spurzheim has said, and been most heartily abused for saying--and, if the science be false, most heartily deserves to be abused for saying,--that the whole philosophy of the mind must be entirely changed; that the study of man in this respect will become a new study, &c. In this dictum--most noble or most arrogant, according to events--we (phrenologists) concur, with the loudest cheers; and in this, do we say, lies the stupendous monument of our science. Since the earliest records of philosophy, sages have speculated on the heart, the mind, the passions, and the understanding. For more than three thousand years systems have flashed, and disappeared without leaving a trace. Some of these, indeed, were abundantly ingenious; but were defective in that which alone can make them lasting, truth. It would be curious to examine the hypotheses which have grown up, one after the other, in the fertile soil of fancy, Arabian, Chinese, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and modern European, and to see how specious and how futile all have been. Not one of them was founded on any thing but conjecture; and, until Gall appeared, it was not supposed that mental philosophy, that psychology, ever could have any other basis. But Gall proceeded entirely upon fact; and those who accuse his system as imaginative, will probably call the 'Faerie Queene' an historical poem, and 'Lear' an algebraical tragedy. He stalked from brain to brain, from organ to organ, and trampled conjecture under foot. 'The man of skulls'--aye, Mr. Edinburgh Reviewer, the _boy_ of skulls--endowed in truth, with not less imagination than his predecessors, had yet more love of fact than they had; and this single faculty has placed him above them all. It is, indeed, most wonderous, that the catalogue of the innate faculties of man should have escaped the grey-haired philosophers of every age and climate, and that its first-fold should have been opened to a child of nine years old, who in maturity unrolled it all, except a leaf or two, which he left to his followers. Such a discovery, had it been made by a man after so long concealment, and so many attempts to accomplish it, would have been wonderful; but let it never be forgotten that it was the work, and not the accidental work, of an infant."

ADVANTAGES AND OBJECTS OF PHRENOLOGY.

"In proportion as any branch of study leads to important and useful results--in proportion as it tends to overthrow prevailing errors--in the same degree it may be expected to call forth angry declamation from those who are trying to despise what they will not _learn_, and wedded to _prejudices_ which they _cannot defend_."--ARCHBISHOP WHATELY.

Having pointed out in the introductory chapter the great end and aim of all learning--THE ADVANCEMENT OF MANKIND IN RELIGION, MORALITY, AND VIRTUE, we shall proceed to point out the advantages of Phrenology, in enabling man to become wiser, better, and happier. It will be universally conceded, that this life is a state of probation, that if we do well--that is, if we become God's people, we shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but if we do evil, we shall have our portion in the lake which burneth with everlasting fire; for this reason St. Paul exhorts us to press forward to the prize of our high calling. "Let us go on unto perfection," says he, and again, "let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us"--and in another place he tells us, that "it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment."

Such then, being our situation, how imperative is the command to, "cease to do evil, and learn to do well." We must first learn what is imperfect and then strive to improve,--we must look upon SELF IMPROVEMENT, as something possible, something allied to the better portion of human nature, something worthy of the noblest care and the mightiest efforts that human beings, aiming at perfection, can even hope to aspire to. We must recall the past, watch over the present, and strengthen ourselves against the future,--we must learn what we _are_ and what we _may be_, for we have in ourselves the power of controlling as well as of watching our passions and our energies, and it is this prerogative that causes human responsibility. Phrenology teaches us that mental energy is invariably accompanied by an increase of the brain, in the portion which is acted on by that energy; if the intellect be expanded, the perceptive faculties in active operation, the nobler energies of charity and veneration employed for good, it is at once apparent; so too with the baser passions, the sensualist, the ignorant, and the depraved alike reveal by their organization the spirit that moves within them, and as we know by endless facts that the brain alters in proportion to the use or disuse of faculties, sentiments, or passions; so if we are right-minded we must infer that God created no such master-piece of unerring workmanship without designing it for our good; and if so, how culpable, how criminal must they be, who dare to doubt the hand of a nobler being in a design so beautiful,--how culpable must they be who neglect to use the means laid down for their advancement,--how criminal, when they know, yet slight or scorn to employ it? But it may be asked, how can the brain enlarge or decrease by the action of the mind? Can an invisible, immaterial principle enlarge or lessen the organ through which it operates? most certainly it can,--what but _use_ developes the muscular system--what but the amount of exertion makes the right arm of the gold beater nearly twice the size of his left? or why does active exertion give strength and tone to the limbs, whilst indolence renders them effeminate and small,--and if any one doubt the parallel, they cannot have examined and enquired for truth, on which alone enquiry can be based. Muscular power, considered abstractedly, is to the full as invisible and deep seated as the powers of the mind,--the mind must first direct the motions of animal power through the medium of the nerves, and the exertion of their power forms the muscles, or if the power be not exerted, the muscles, however fully developed previously, must quickly decrease; so it is with the brain, the index of the mind: and as no one can behold the brawny frame of the laborious artisan without being led to consider the exertion of muscular force as the cause of that powerful form, so no one ought to dispute the identical operation in another part of the human system, simply because they _are_ familiar with one and _will not_ be familiar with the other.

Taking it for granted then, (and surely no one will deny rashly what countless facts have proved, and what is only proved the more as the number of facts increase) that the brain is the organ of the mind, we are led to the following principles.

1. The brain is the organ through which the mind operates.

2. In proportion to the developement of any part of the brain will be the power of that corresponding faculty, sentiment, or passion, because that faculty, sentiment, or passion, by its _anterior action_, has developed the brain.

3. The increase or decrease of mental passions, affections, or sentiments, is accompanied by a corresponding increase or decrease of the brain.

4. The brain like the muscle, is only the agent through which the immaterial spirit acts, for as muscular power resides not in a muscle, so neither does the mind dwell in the brain;--and as all connection between the muscle and life, or vital energy is destroyed by severing the connection of the nerve communicating power to that muscle, so might the mind and brain be severed, but for the beautiful design of Providence, in so carefully protecting the brain lest any mental organ be impaired, as well as by the formation of duplicates to those organs most exposed to injury; for as in common life, the accident that deprives man of a limb, does not render him incapable of his higher and loftier duties, so is it proportionably necessary that the organ through which those higher and nobler functions are performed should have been rendered most secure from harm.

5. That the different parts of the brain having been found by long experience to be appropriated to different functions, those parts are and have the same design, and are produced by the same faculties in all human beings.

Under one of these heads all phrenological facts must fall.

From these principles also, it must be evident that the brain is dependant for its form and character on the developement of the mind in any individual, and in this manner phrenology ascertains the natural bias of the mind, so as to direct education;--it ascertains similarity of pursuits and dispositions so as to improve social intercourse;--it ascertains at any time of life what faculties require to be cultivated or to be checked, what sentiments or passions preponderate in the individual, for good or for evil, what should be repressed, as well as those parts wherein increase should be aimed at, it points out the persons with whom we sympathize, or towards whom we may have an antipathy,--in the treatment of mental disease, its use is obvious. "No more satisfactory proof of this can be referred to, than the extraordinary success of the experiments at the Hanwell Lunatic Asylum under the direction of Dr. and Mrs. Ellis. Regarding the brain not as an entire organized mass, but as an assemblage of organs, some of which may come into a morbid condition while the rest remain comparatively healthy, the course pursued at that excellent institution has been, by kindness and by engaging the attention of the patient, to exercise those organs which are sound, and, by diminishing the action of those which are in a diseased state, to restore them to the healthy performance of their functions. The success which has attended the experiment stands without precedent in the annals of insanity." From this treatment we learn that cures have averaged ninety in a hundred.

Phrenology teaches us how to aim at self-improvement, that is, the duty which every man owes to himself, so as to improve and render more perfect whatsoever is wrong in his nature.--Improvement is the end and object;--it demands a vigorous well regulated exertion of all the energies of thought and feeling.--Phrenology teaches where it is most required--whether it be moral, intellectual or religious, and whichever it may be, we must make it the great end of our endeavours, and use solemnly and deliberately the great powers that GOD has given to us,--without this resolution of purpose the best means are worthless: but with it the poorest may become mighty in moral and intellectual powers, the progression of our nature to the perfection pointed at by St. Paul, must not be regarded as a fiction, but a reality,--we must look coolly and rationally upon the vast amount of ignorance--intemperance, sensuality and selfishness that dwell with and around us,--we must think what an immense field of mind is lost--how many _might be_ cheered with intelligence, disinterestedness and refinement, that now _are_ lost in voluptuous extravagance or the exercise of worthless and depraved passions;--we must learn the dignity of our station as men--that we shall be made partakers of CHRIST, if we be stedfast unto the end,--and that if we keep this object in view stedfastly and zealously, we shall inherit a crown of righteousness that fadeth not away--and that too in a kingdom of everlasting happiness where the wicked shall cease from troubling and the weary be at rest.

ON THE STRUCTURE AND ANATOMY OF THE BRAIN.

The BRAIN is admitted by physiologists, to be the organ of the mind, although dissection furnishes no clue to its functions, but the same may be said of the eye, the tongue or the ear. The phrenologist compares developement of brain with manifestation of mental power, and by its classification of organs arranges those instruments through which the mind manifests its power during life. A brief description of the brain therefore will be advantageous. It is a mass of soft matter not homogeneous, but presenting different appearances; part of it white in colour, and fibrous in texture is named the _medullary substance_ and abounds in the interior; the other matter is of a grey colour and not fibrous in appearance, this forms the outer-portion of brain, they do not blend together, but have a perfect line of distinction. There is no adipose or fatty matter in the skull. The brain is divided into two hemispheres, separated by a strong membrane termed the _Falciform process of the Dura Mater_, and each hemisphere is divided into three lobes, anterior, middle and posterior: the two hemispheres and the organs of each side are brought into communication by fibres running transversely. The _cerebellum and brain_ are only slightly and indirectly connected.

The greater portion of the brain is destitute of sensibility, Sir C. Bell imagines from this that it possesses a higher office than that of sensual perception. The external substance of the brain is arranged in convolutions or folds; these appear to be intended for the purpose of increasing its superficial extent with the least enlargement of size,--in the inferior classes of animals there are no convolutions, but they increase in number and extent as we ascend in the scale of being. Each side of the _brain_ and also of the _cerebellum_, is supplied with separate arteries conveying blood to it, while the _sinuses_ or canals which return the blood to the heart are common to all.

The CEREBELLUM is composed of matter similar to that of the brain in appearance, but different in arrangement,--it is separated from the brain by a strong membrane called the _tentorium_: its fibres originate in the _medulla oblongata_ where the organs of the propensities take their rise, so that the _brain and cerebellum_ although separated by the _tentorium_ are both connected together. The brain and Cerebellum are protected by the skull, and the brain is formed before the bones which invest it. The process of ossification is gradual, the principal portion at birth being strong membranes in which the points of ossification begin and continue increasing in extent and strength till about the age of nine years: between the substance of the brain and the skull are the _pia mater_ and the _dura mater_, two integuments which enclose the peripheral extent of the brain and convey blood-vessels to its several parts, the brain with these membranes exactly fills the interior of the skull. The skull fully formed is composed of eight bones which are connected by indented edges: the internal and external surfaces are, from their smooth surface called the _plates_ and the intermediate part, _diploe_, which is of a loose cellular texture; as this _diploe_ is nearly equally thick in every part, the two tables are nearly parallel to each other, and the variations where they occur do not exceed the eighth or tenth part of an inch; the integuments being an exact form of the brain, and the bony matter fitting them exactly, it follows that there is no obstacle of importance to prevent our observing the form of the brain by the form of the skull.

Disease and old age alone oppose obstacles to this proceeding; for by these causes the skull may be increased or diminished in volume, and it is generally irregular in thickness in old age: the _sutures_ also interrupt absolute parallelism, but their situation is known and allowed for, and the _frontal sinus_, or cavity at the top of the nose, in the frontal bone, (which is often enlarged and covered by the _schneiderian membrane_ giving great power to the nerves of smell) is so remotely connected that it can only affect a few organs,--five at the most. These few objections are so fully overruled by practice and observation, that they can never lead to error if the student exercise a proper degree of caution.--We may conclude then, that if men manifest their _true nature_ in their actions, (and men cannot always be dissemblers,) the mind influencing the brain, and thereby the skull, must present a developement corresponding to their real character--and that PHRENOLOGY or external examination leads to the results sought for when we examine human nature for the purpose of self improvement, or for moral and religious elevation of character.

ON TEMPERAMENT.

The Temperaments are commonly stated to be four only, and their sub-divisions; as these are united in the same individual. These are, the _Nervous, Sanguine, the Bilious, and the Lymphatic_; they are however rarely met with in a separate state, the greater number of persons presenting a mixed temperament, the most predominant of which are the _Sanguine-Bilious_ and the _Sanguine-Nervous_, a milder form of _Lymphatic and the Lymphatic_ with the _Sanguine, Bilious and Nervous_, may be stated as producing twelve varieties. Temperament may be defined as the natural constitutional tendency of the individual, producing a disposition to exert certain faculties more than others: for this reason they must be carefully studied, that their _active_ and _passive_ influence upon the mind may be ascertained. Their action is chiefly manifested in the _energy_ or _apathy_, of the individual's character; for when properly balanced, by their equal influence on a well cultivated mind, they produce the beautiful harmony of feeling, that leads to a right estimation of things whether moral, intellectual, or physical; by their combined influence in the physical man, that is on the passions and affections, or, on the intellectual being, that is, the perceptives actives, and the reflectives passive,--or upon the higher sentiments, when the moral energy is active, and the spiritual zeal passive,--they produce the noblest developement of character that can actuate human nature--the disunity of these produces but a heathen morality on the one hand, or religious fanaticism on the other: in the mind too, while there is an active _perception_ of facts, without due _reflection_ on causes, or the reverse of these, the mind may be led into an excess of its favourite pursuit, to the ultimate loss of much mental power. When rightly exercised however, the spiritual unity of body, mind and soul, produces a vigorous pursuit of whatever is great and good in human nature.

The Temperaments may be generally referred to some particular constitution of the organic system--whole families are sometimes of a similar temperament, and at others no two members are alike: a great portion probably depends upon parental causes, in the same way that family likenesses are often observed, probably they may be referred to the blood as a chief cause, the active circulation producing great action on the brain and nerves originating the _nervous_: a fulness of the circulating medium may produce the _sanguine_; a muscular developement the _bilious_; a sluggish system the _lymphatic_. The classification of the temperaments, and their combined influence upon the three-fold nature of man may be best understood from careful observation: when pure they present the following appearances;--

1. A NERVOUS TEMPERAMENT is indicated by a pale complexion, features sharp and angular, delicate texture of the muscular system, fine silky hair, delicate health, quickness of perception and great susceptibility; persons under the influence of this temperament are very sensitive,--act more from impulse and feeling than from principle, and feel great languor when exhausted.

2. The LYMPHATIC TEMPERAMENT, is marked by a full fleshy outline,--round features,--pale complexion, light straightish hair,--pulse slow, muscles soft and the disposition lukewarm and indolent: the circulation being feeble, the mental manifestations are proportionately sluggish and weak.

3. The BILIOUS TEMPERAMENT is distinguished by dark hair, skin of a yellow hue and coarse angular features, eyes active, and often with a severe expression, the muscles firm and well developed;--the pulsations partake of great energy which extends also to the brain.

4. The SANGUINE TEMPERAMENT is evident from a clear florid complexion,--features well formed and fleshy,--the muscles full and tolerably firm, mild expression in the eye,--auburn or brown hair, eyes blue or sometimes hazel,--disposition lively and cheerful.

These, with their combinations will produce all the common varieties, and where they are well united in a single individual the union generally improves the character.

ON THE VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN RACE.

When we regard the different quarters of the globe,--the distinct and permanent features of national character that stamp races of men as races, we are immediately struck with the great mental and natural dissimilarity of these varieties of the human race.--The Briton bowing in worship to the one true and ever living God,--the wild Indian revelling in the uncontrolled sublimities of a wild and unconquered waste,--the Brahmin, prostrate at the blood stained relics of human sacrifice, or the ignorant African, worshipping the carved effigy of some mis-shapen and hideous monster;--each present characters which indicate some strongly marked feature of individual and national constitution. The millions that dwell around the Ganges have a national and characteristic feature in their mental constitution, and this distinguishing mark is as decidedly evident in the form of the brain as it is in the customs of the people,--the same remark applies to all other races;--the European who has long dwelt in a high state of civilization, and mental culture,--The Asiatic, whose ancient customs, moderns vainly seek to improve,--The American, in his native forest, surrounded by civilization, remains even yet in the state of rude and ancient barbarism.--These differences of _national_ character, must have a great influence upon the _individual_: the unvarying customs produce a sameness in the organization--the people as a _whole_ are intellectual, ignorant, or barbarian.