Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

CONTENTS.

ARTICLE I.-Phrenological Essay,.......

II.-On the Combinations in Phrenology,

III.-Shakspeare's Iago,...........

IV.-Letter from an Observer of Nature,...............

V.-Report on the Cast of John Pallet,.......

VI.-Master James Hubard,...........

VII.-St Ronan's Well,...........

VIII.-Flourens on the Nervous System,............

IX.-Phrenology and Mr Owen,...

337

378

.... 402

.... 423

....... 425

436

442

455

463

466

X.-Phrenological Explanation of the Vocal Illusions

commonly called Ventriloquism,...............

XI.-Proceedings of the Phrenological Society,............... 487

XII.-Dr Milligan v. Phrenology,......

490

[ocr errors]

NOTICES.

THURTELL'S HEAD.-TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,-IN the bust of Thurtell, published by De Ville, I could not but observe the position of the ear; in the common run of heads, a line drawn from the eyebrow, or, as you Phrenologists would say, from Lower Individuality horizontally along the head, would touch the tip of the ear, but in Thurtell's head this line will pass nearly half an inch above the usual course. Now, as we know the depth of brain is as the position of the ear, it follows that Thurtell's brain must have been in this part deeper than is usual, and as you have placed the organ of Destructiveness in that part of the brain, which is in this case most evidently developed, I own I have become, from viewing this cast, a decided favourer of your doctrine. If you find, on examination, that my observations are correct, their publication perhaps may have more weight with the sceptics, even than the decided explanation given in your last number.Yours, OBSERVER.

Hull General Infirmary.

MR MACREADY'S HEAD AND PERENOLOGY.—In answer to our London correspondent, we beg to mention, that we have not been able to learn any thing concerning either the Phrenological Society to which he alludes, or the publication which he cites. We shall be happy to hear from him again with more minute Information.

A CASE IN POINT is reserved for a future number.

In a note by the Committee to Dr Murray Patterson's Phrenology of Hindostan, published in the Phrenological Transactions, it is stated that Dr Patterson's knowledge of the science was derived solely from Dr Spurzheim's works. We are requested to mention, that Dr P. enjoyed the advantage of hearing a course of lectures on Phrenology, by Dr Matthew Allen of York, previously to his visiting India.

THE ELEMENTS OF PHRENOLOGY, containing a brief but comprehensive View of the Science, by Mr G. Combe, will be published in July. The second edition of the " Essays on Phrenology" will not appear before 1825.

"We understand that a number of gentlemen in Wakefield have formed themselves into a Society, for the purpose of cultivating a knowledge of Phrenology, on the system of Drs Gall and Spurzheim. They have taken a spacious room in Northgate to meet in, and have got together an interesting collection of masks, heads, &c. exhibiting very extraordinary development of human character, from its lowest to its highest state; and as we find that the Society intend to admit papers to be read on any subject connected with general literature and philosophy, we sincerely hope that it will meet with encouragement, and prove a source of knowledge to our townsmen, both useful and entertaining."—Wakefield and Halifax Journal.

EDINBURGH MAGAZINE versus PHRENOLOGY.-During the last two years no subject has excited so great and abiding an interest in this city as Phrenology. It has been written about in the newspapers, discussed in literary societies, and afforded a ceaseless topic of conversation in private circles. Nevertheless the Edinburgh Magazine, which professes to be a chronicle of the times, has not, during this period, favoured its readers with the slightest hints of the existence of such a system, except by some awful sillinesses, intended for jokes, occasionally inserted among its notices. At length, however, Phrenology has appeared in its columns; and, when the other uncom mitted Journals are evidently leaning towards the science, this work has taken up the cue that other reviewers have laid down as stale, and made its debut by a clumsy imitation of Blackwood, in an article, " PHRENOLOGY AS OLD AS THE CREATION," in which grossness and indelicacy are substituted for reason, and profanity for wit. Its second article," PHRENOLOGICAL CRITICISM ON BALLADS OF THE OLDEN TIME," is far less exceptionable in point of taste, but equally unfortunate in regard to wit.

The author clearly intended it for a most tremendous quiz on the Phrenological criticisms of Shakspeare lately given in our Journal. His simplicity in this notion has greatly amused us. As the steam-engine serves to forge anchors, or to make needles, so Phrenology, if it be the true science of mind, (which is our position), must be equally available for the analysis of every variety of mental manifestations, from the sublime conceptions of a Shakspeare and a Bacon to the simple sentiment of a popular ballad. There is, therefore, no wit in the idea of applying Phrenology to the criticism of ballads; for this is just what a disciple himself would do, and what some of them have done. And then as to the execution of the article in question, it is bad Phrenology; and in no other respect is it good. We beg to set the author right on another point. "The proselytes," says he," in this quarter, anxious, we presume, to do "away the charge of novelty from their system, have, by some elaborate "criticisms on the dramas of Shakspeare, attempted to prove that he was a "Phrenologist." Not quite so, their proposition is this: Phrenology contains an exposition of the primitive powers of the human mind and of the effects of their combinations, drawn from observations in nature. If this be the case, all natural representations of character must harmonize with the phrenological doctrines, both being derived from the same source. Shakspeare's characters are admitted to be highly natural, and we apply our prin. ciples to their analysis, and point out the most perfect accordance. Shak. speare acquires an additional lustre from standing the test of this examina. tion, and Phrenology is shown to be in accordance with nature, by its harmony with nature's portraits drawn by this masterly hand.

Finally. The writer of the article in question is a "Bumpist;” that is, one of a class of opponents who please themselves by representing, contrary to fact and to the statements of all phrenological writers, that the absence of bumps is the absence of size in the organs,-a joke so often shown to consist in a blunder on the part of the "bumpist," that one could not have expected it to reappear, even in the Edinburgh Magazine.

BLACKWOOD, having resorted to personal libel, in place of his usual ridicule and abuse, against Phrenology, is no longer in the lists of literary controversy, and must be consigned over to another tribunal.

• The Christian Instructor in Edinburgh, and the Gentlemen's Magazine, the London Magazine, London Medico Chirurgical Review, the Lancet, &c. have lately given articles on Phrenology of a very favourable complexion.

« AnteriorContinuar »