that he knew the history of most of the individuals to whom the skulls had belonged, we entreated him not to deprive the public of such an opportunity of obtaining accurate information on a deeply interesting subject, and if he could not go into detail, to publish at least a catalogue raisonnée of the collection. He spoke so despondingly, however, of being able to complete his work on insanity, then in the press, that we had little hope of his ever executing his intention of describing the cases which refer to the skulls. But not to lose what little hope we had, we urged his and our friend M. Royer, incessantly to remind him of his purpose, and to excite him to its fulfilment by every means in his power. M. Royer being not less impressed than ourselves with the value of the collection, stated that he had already urged, and would persist in urging, the subject on M. Esquirol's attention; but, to our great regret, our friend is now numbered with the dead, and the prospect of the collection being made available to science is now more remote than ever. If the testimony afforded by these skulls be adverse to phrenology, it says something, at least, for the candour and love of truth of Dr Spurzheim and the phrenologists, that they should be so anxious to have it produced and verified. Truth alone is consistent with itself, and the phrenologists know that if their science be true, the evidence to be derived from the collection must be favourable to their views, whether the collection itself have been made by a friend or by an opponent. And accordingly M. Georget, whose talents are admitted, whose opportunities of observation were long equally extensive with those of Esquirol (seeing that they were for some years derived from the same cases in the same hospital), and who was equally conversant with the history of many of the individual skulls, has avowed to the world his deep and well founded conviction of the reality and importance of phrenology;-a result which could scarcely have happened, except from the force of truth; considering that he is the nephew of Esquirol, was brought up under his professional auspices, and was naturally inclined to receive his tenets in preference to those of any other authority. Voisin and Falret, also young and able writers, educated essentially in the same school, and with the full knowledge of the nature of Esquirol's collection, have not hesitated to publish their belief in the truth of Gall's doctrine. Are these facts, then, entitled to so little weight in Dr Prichard's estimation, that he unhesitatingly overlooks them, and attaches his faith to the alleged experience of Esquirol and Metivié? We repeat that we are ready to peril the whole doctrine on the real bearing of Esquirol's collection as given by persons competent to decide, and that we ask no greater boon to the science, than to have the specimens and their history made accessible to the public, and their bearings accurately tested. We regret that we have been forced into this discussion about the value of Esquirol's phrenological opinions; because we can never forget the advantages which we enjoyed in being admitted to his instructive clinical lectures on insanity at the Salpétrière, and the very high respect which we felt for the talent, zeal, unwearied interest, and conciliating kindness, which characterized his whole conduct towards the unhappy inmates of that vast establishment. His visits and lectures were not only valuable professional, but highly important moral lessons. No one could attend them for a season, and witness their effects in soothing misery, alleviating wretchedness, and inspiring hope into the sinking heart, without being improved in his own moral feelings, and impressed with a higher sense of the dignity of the profession. Neither can we forget the personal kindness and attention with which, on a more recent occasion, he conducted us through the hospital at Charenton and his splendid private establishment at Ivry, and dedicated three hours to the gratification of our curiosity in regard to the details. Gratitude for these advantages and acts of kindness would have effectually prevented us from dragging forward opinions which we think he has inconsiderately emitted, and which, so far as we know, he has never obtruded. But when we find a physician of Dr Prichard's reputation strenuously founding on them in a work of high authority and wide circulation, and which exercises great influence over the opinions of the rising generation, and thus may become the means of retarding the progress of the greatest discovery of the age, we can no longer allow personal considerations to stand in the way of their entire refutation. But we have endeavoured to expose the fallacy of Dr Prichard's arguments, and the erroneousness of M. Esquirol's opinion, without failing in that respect which is due to both of them as men of science and men of sense; and trust that in this effort we have not been unsuccessful. ARTICLE XI. OBSERVATIONS ON THE SKULL OF ROBERT BURNS. ROBERT BURNS, the Scottish poet, died at Dumfries on the 21st of July 1796, in the 37th year of his age, and, on the 26th of the same month, was interred in St Michael's Church-Yard. Eighteen years afterwards, a mausoleum was erected to his memory, by subscription, in that cemetery; and, on the 19th of September 1815, his remains were privately exhumed and trans VOL. VIII.-NO. XL. Tt ferred to the vault attached to it. Mrs Burns, the poet's widow, having died on 26th March 1834, the vault was opened for the purpose of depositing her remains beside those of her husband; and the gentlemen who took charge of the proceedings, being aware of the anxiety which had long been generally felt to obtain a cast of the poet's skull, resolved to avail themselves of the opportunity to gratify this desire. The consent of the relatives having been obtained, Mr M'Diarmid, the Editor of the Dumfries Courier, went with several other gentlemen to the vault, and successfully effected their purpose. These gentlemen deserve much credit for the skilful manner in which they accomplished their purpose. Some of the newspapers have raised a silly cry against them as sacrilegious resurrectionists, but the more rational portion of the press has defended them as meritorious labourers in the cause of science and truth. The phrenologists feel greatly indebted to them. FOUR VIEWS OF THE SKULL OF BURNS. The scale of the organs indicates their relative proportions to each other ;-2 is The cast of a skull does not shew the temperament of the individual, but the portraits of Burns indicate the bilious and nervous temperaments, the sources of strength, activity, and susceptibility; and the descriptions given by his contemporaries, of his beaming and energetic eye, and the rapidity and impetuosity of his manifestations, establish the inference that his brain was active and susceptible. Size in the brain, other conditions being equal, is the measure of mental power. The skull of Burns indicates a large brain. The length is eight, and the greatest breadth nearly six inches. The circumference is 221 inches. These measurements exceed the average of Scotch living heads, including the integuments, for which four-eighths of an inch may be allowed. The brain of Burns, therefore, possessed the two elements of power and activity. The portions of the brain which manifest the animal propensities; are uncommonly large, indicating strong passions, and great energy in action under their influence. The group of organs manifesting the domestic affections, (Amativeness, Philoprogenitiveness, and Adhesiveness,) is large; Philoprogenitiveness uncommonly so for a male head. The organs of Combativeness and Destructiveness are large; bespeaking great heat of temper, impatience, and liability to irritation. Secretiveness and Cautiousness are both large, and would confer considerable power of restraint, where he felt restraint to be necessary. Acquisitiveness, Self-Esteem, and Love of Approbation, are also in ample endowment, although the first is less than the other two; these feelings give the love of property, a high consideration of self, and desire of the esteem of others. The first quality will not be so readily conceded to Burns as the second and third, which, indeed, were much stronger; but the phrenologist records what is presented by nature, in full confidence that the manifestations, when the character is correctly understood, will be found to correspond with the development, and he states that the brain indicates considerable love of property. The organs of the moral sentiments are also largely developed. Ideality, Wonder, Imitation, and Benevolence, are the largest. Veneration also is large. Conscientiousness, Firmness, and Hope, are full. The Knowing organs, or those of perceptive intellect, are large; and the organs of Reflection are also considerable, but less than the former. Causality is larger than Comparison, and Wit is less than either. The Skull indicates the combination of strong animal passions with equally powerful moral emotions. If the natural morality had been less, the endowment of the propensities is sufficient to have constituted a character of the most desperate description. The combination as it exists, bespeaks a mind extremely subject to contending emotions, capable of great good, or great evil,— and encompassed with vast difficulties in preserving a steady, even, onward course of practical morality. In the combination of very large Philoprogenitiveness and Adhesiveness, with very large Benevolence and large Ideality, we find the elements of that exquisite tenderness and refinement, which Burns so frequently manifested, even when at the worst stage of his career. In the combination of great Combativeness, Destructiveness, and Self-Esteem, we find the fundamental qualities which inspired "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled," and similar productions. |