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teguments, is 5 inches. In the skull of Gordon, a very brutal wretch, who murdered a pedlar boy in Eskdale muir, it is 4 inches.

All these masks and skulls lie in the hall of the Phrenological Society, open every Saturday from 1 to 4 o'clock, for public inspection, so that the statements of the phrenologists as to them can be easily verified or refuted. Now, we say, that these differences being measurable with callipers, can be perceived by the eye and the understanding unaided by fancy, and that the departures from perfect parallelism between the two tables of the skulls, do not amount to inches, so as to make up the difference between Mr Joseph Hume's development and Dr Chalmers', or between Gordon's and Raphael's, the former amounting to an inch and one-eighth, and the latter to an inch. We say, therefore, that if all men, having a development like Dr Chalmers, in this particular part, manifest great ideality, and all men having a development like Mr Hume, manifest comparatively little of that mental quality, this is better evidence, that the part of the brain lying under the part of the skull in question, is the instrument for manifesting that sentiment, than any other evidence that has hitherto been produced, to determine the func tions of that part of the brain.

In Mr Cox's notes it is said, that Drs Gall and Spurzheim place the faculties in the convolutions. These gentlemen, on the other hand, state, that each organ extends from the surface of the convolutions to the medulla oblongata, but that the parts of each organ are proportionate to each other; so that if the peripheral surface is large, the whole organ will be large, and vice versa. In evidence of this assertion, they mention, that the size of the corpora pyramidalia, which they shew to be the origin of the anterior lobes of the brain, bears an uniform proportion to the size of the convolutions of these lobes; that the same rule holds with the corpora olivaria, and the middle lobes, and with the corpora restiformia, and the posterior lobes. I have attended to these proportions in several brains which I have dissected, or seen dis

sected, and observe that this statement is borne out by facts, so far as my means of verifying it go. The Society possess a cast of the brain of an idiot girl, in whom the anterior lobes are extremely small, and the middle lobes pretty full, and a corresponding difference is very distinguishable in the relative proportions of the corpora pyramidalia and corpora olivaria. I state these circumstances only to shew, that Drs Gall and Spurzheim conscientiously seek for evidence, and wish to rely as little on imagination as possible in stating their doctrines.

In the last place, Drs Gall and Spurzheim differ, as you say, on some points, but not quite in the way you appear to suppose. Where both have seen evidence, both agree; and out of the 33 organs they are at one on about 30 of them. In regard to the other 3 on which the difference exists, Dr Gall says, that cases have not fallen in his way sufficient to authorize him to draw the same conclusions as Dr Spurzheim; and this is quite intelligible; for he and Dr Spurzheim have not studied together, nor travelled together, for nearly ten years, so that cases may have come under the notice of the one which the other had no opportunity of observing; and hence the one may really know more than the other of nature's constitution. Dr Gall, be it remarked, does not state opposite functions to these parts; he only says, that he has not discovered them.

Trusting that you will oblige me by reading this letter, which will correct all misunderstandings, I remain, with much regard, &c.

NOTE.-On 16th July 1823, Mr Geo. Combe, accompanied by his brother, Mr Andrew Combe, accidentally met Dr Barclay in an evening walk, when he, of his own accord, said, that he would read the above letter to his class.

Mr COMBE to Dr BARCLAY.

Edinburgh, 28th July 1823. MY DEAR SIR,-Mr Cox tells me, that you read my letter to you, of 11th July, on Saturday, to your class, when only eleven persons were present, exclusive of your two assistants, while the students who heard the erroneous statements complained of exceeded forty in number. I sincerely regret troubling you again on this subject; but the cause of my first writing you still remains unremoved, and I feel an anxiety that it should be done away with. My complaint was not, that you made observations on phrenology displeasing to me, for you have clearly a right to make any comments on this, or any other subject of public discussion, you see proper; but that you stated mere fictions of your imagination as phrenology, and ascribed these to phrenologists as their doctrines, thus unavoidably representing Dr Spurzheim, Dr Gall, and myself, not only in an unfavourable, but a false light; and my object was to obtain the simple act of justice of having the doctrines, with which my name and reputation are now inseparably connected, stated such as I actually have delivered them in my printed work on the subject, and of which I had the honour of presenting you with a copy. Had you given a correct statement of phrenology, as it is really laid down in the printed works, the freest and severest comments on its doctrines would not have offended me; but, to speak candidly, I do feel not quite pleased at the very different manner in which you have treated it. To go no farther than the notes, of which I sent you a copy, and which you acknowledged to be correct, there is such a complete mis-statement of the doctrines in them, that a fair and full correction of it was called for, and this could have been accomplished only by reading my letter of 11th July, as soon after it was received as possible, and while all who heard the first statement were still in attendance, and not by delaying all notice of the letter till the class was reduced to so small a

number as that above-mentioned. To remove, therefore, all occasion of mistake, with your permission, I shall publish Mr Cox's notes, and our correspondence, and add to it any reply with which you may see cause to honour me. Of course, I am quite satisfied that the mistake on your part was unintentional. I know that you will excuse the freedom of this request, as it is the surest mark of real esteem to state candidly what I feel; and, with a repetition of the assurance, that it is only with your erroneous statements of the doctrines of phrenology, and not with your comments upon them, that I conceive myself at liberty to find fault in this manner, I remain, &c.

Dr BARCLAY to Mr COMBE.

Edinburgh, July 30, 1823. MY DEAR SIR,-It was always my intention to read your letter to my class, after exhibiting a specimen or two of the brains of quadrupeds, birds, and fishes. Your friend Mr Cox will tell you that I had not finished that subject till Friday, and the very next day I read your letter-but without, I confess, any previous advertisement either to the class or to the public. If the class was thin upon that occasion it was not my fault, it was not even my wish. Most of the summer classes had risen the day before. To that circumstance I had not adverted, and on telling one of my assistants that I meant not to finish till some day this week, he told me that the other classes had risen, that a number of the students had left town, and many, probably for reasons similar to his, that they might not be compelled to pay for a week's boarding and lodging for a single class and a lecture or two. This unfortunate circumstance, a circumstance which you think so unfortunate for your letter, I did not foresee, though, to remedy the evil as much as possible, I left it on the table to be transcribed, and it actually was transcribed by one gentleman. I never believed that a system of phrenology could be founded upon the structure of the brain; and

confess that I laboured under a mistake when I thought that phrenologists entertained that opinion, especially the sect of phrenologists in Edinburgh. Perhaps casts, with a number of figures indicating the situation of organs, are sufficient for their ordinary purposes; and that if these organs can be seen through the skull, it is not necessary to proceed farther. Dr Spurzheim, however, did not always know that an accurate examination of the structure, even of various brains, could regularly be dispensed with. I considered it, indeed, as a great improvement, to mark the situation and magnitude of the organs upon the outside of the skull, for the benefit of the ladies, who might be shocked at the disgusting and bloody sight of the inside, if the brains were present. I consider it as a still greater improvement for them and their beaux, who wish to display their talents at table and in mixed companies, that you now can measure the capacity of a man by a pair of callipers, which, I am told, you occasionally make use of for that very purpose.-I have no objection to your publication of this, and my former letter, but I am determined not to enter any farther into the controversy, particularly as my controversial organs are not in repair just now, and I really suspect that some of them are lost, particularly that pride-inspiring organ, which, according to phrenologists, tempts goats to climb precipices, and black rats to live in garrets, or in the upper-stories of granaries.— But, my dear sir, notwithstanding these remarks, I still am, with much respect, your's truly, &c.

ARTICLE IV.

PHRENOLOGY AND PROFESSOR JAMESON.

Ir is generally known that many of the objects of natural history now exhibited in the museum of Edinburgh College were brought from Paris a few years ago. When preparations were making in that city for sending them here, Mr

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