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served the Rev. Gentleman, to conceive the wonderful advantages which the inductive process of reasoning has conferred on Natural Philosophy additions are being daily made to the stores of knowledge new facts are rapidly accumulating, which, collected with accuracy and reported with fidelity, reston a stable and imperishable basis- hence the metaphorical expression of Nature being put to the torture, her inmost secrets scrutinized, and the key of her inexhaustible treasures delivered up to man, the lord of the lower world. In accordance with the true spirit of induction he became a convert to Phrenology, feeling a strong conviction in the truth of its doctrines; he confes.. sed that he was one of those who raised an early cry against the 'system'; he was prejudiced, but his prejudices being founded in ignorance soon vanished before the light of reason. He did conceive that its introduction was intended for the purpose of giving an explanation of the essence of mind, and would, in all probability, end in the renewal of all those bewildering controversies which clouded the perceptions of men for whole centuties. He also felt a very serious objection to the phraseology that was adopted the idea of there being organs specially • intended for murder, theft, &c., established a degree of dangerous fatalism, which was quite irreconcileable with the dispensation of Providence, and altogether subversive of divine revelation. Any unbiassed inquirer, however, will readily learn that those terms are applicable to the abuses of the organs, and could by no means form any argument against the principles themselves, With respect to the doctrines of the science, he would hold it as undeniably true, that particular forms of heads were connected in a greater or less degree with particular manifestations of mind; children of the same parents, brought up under the same moral and physical control, breathing the same mental atmosphere, and fin every respect similarly circumstanced, nevertheless betrayed traits of character and tendencies of disposition diametrically opposite. Who has not remarked the facility with which one has acquired a knowledge of language, another the science of numbers, while a taste for mechanical, contrivances wholly absorbs the attention of a third? The brilliant beaming of an eye radiating thought and intelligence, forms an extraordinary contrast with the dull expression of Bœotian monotony. The old epithets of " felix cerebri," " putridum cerebrum," and the more modern and popular terms of " hair-brained," " crack-brained," " brainless," &c., were in themselves arguments in support of the doctrine generally, and shewed how we were in some measure compelled, by a species of intuitive instinct, to form our notions of individual characters from something striking in the configuration of their heads. He then exhibited the cast of an idiot's head in juxtaposition with the head of Edmund Burke, and ar

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gued, as in these two cases the shapes of the head clearly indicated the degrees of mental qualities, was it not reasonable to admit that intermediate states of development had similar manifestations of intellect? He would deny the position of those who maintained that the capabilities of all are originally the same, differings merely by the influence of education. He would admit that education does in a great degree modify the faculties, but it cannot create them Great minds are unquestionably borh unto great men, however sullied in particular instances by natural failings and propensities; for in the brightest intellectual picture we are oftentimes able to discover blemishes which detract more or less from their intrinsic value. Several passages from sacred history proved that Phrenology was supported byorevelation Itodnculcated charity, disposing us to make Tallowances for then errors and frailties of fellow-men. By directing our attention to the exercise and use of our several faculties, itogaves us self-knowledge; teaching us to control our revih propensities, and to regulate our moral conductre It also went to establish an aristocracy in nature, unlike the aristocracy of birth or fortune, which is merely conventional; but an aristocracy which points out with the finger of beneficent wisdom the mighty pre-eminence of man over all breated beings. At the donclusion of his able and eloquent discourse, he entreated his audience not to be biassed by pre-conceived opinions-recommending them in the words of the immortal Bacon, to observe patiently, examine cautiously, and generalise slowly, appealing to their senses and their understanding, whether a system founded in nature, and consistent with religion, did not merit a serious consideration. A vote of thanks was passed unanimously to the Rev. Gentleman for his very able and argumentative dissertation, which contained an epitome of Phrenology, and combated so successfully the objections of its opponents...ת, יתי

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Mr Brabazou presented to the Society a very remarkable bust for their examination. The Secretary, Dr Evanson, an eminent phrenologist, Surgeon Carmichael, and others, severally expressed their opinionsmall equally agreed that it represented some extraordinary personage. The organs of Language, Causality, Self-esteem, Constructiveness, and Ideality, presented an unusually high state of development. Mr B. expressed his satisfaction at their forming so accurate an estimate of one of the most distinguished men of the present age. He was no less than the celebrated Mezzofanti, prefect of the Vatican Library, who spoke thirty languages and understood nearly forty. business of the evening closed by allusions to the rapid progress of Phrenology on the continent, and some cursory observations from Mr Carmichael on the heads of Napoleon, Spurzheim. Locke, &c.

The

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In the Christian Pioneer for October 1884, the following remarks have been elicited from the respected editor of that periodical, by a paragraph among the Notices in our 41st

number

From a careful perusal of the writings of Rammohun Roy, and from personal conversation with that illustrious man on this particular subject, we are convinced that he embraced Christianity on the ground of its miraculous, its divine origin, long previously to his visit to Bristol. We are also persuaded, that had the editor of the Phrenological Journal had access to the same sources of information, or been aware of the degree of credit to be attached to some supposed evidence on which his opinion was founded, his decision would have been directly the reverse of that to which we object." 26 7612)

"Our chief reason for doubting Rammohun Roy's conviction of the divine origin of Christianity was the explicit statement of his secretary, the late Mr Sandford Arnot, that he believed in no Christian tenet whatever, "except the doctrine of the unity of God." (See our 8th vol. p. 600.) This is obviously the "supposed evidence" alluded to by the editor of the Christian Pioneer, and the trust-worthiness of which he seems to have reasons for doubting. Were we personally aware of the circumstances tending to invalidate Mr Arnot's statement, we should certainly be induced by the evidence on the other side to believe that Rammohun Roy was for many years a Christian.

The following remarks are from a quarter on which we place much reliance. "I am convinced by a certain degree of personal knowledge of Rammohun Roy, and by the testimony of those who were more intimate with him, that a false view is given of his character in representing him as deficient in the "courage to say No," and as disposed to temporize from "love of approbation." In the Phrenological Journal itself, sufficient evidence of the contrary is afforded by the account of his resolution in maintaining his views of Christianity in India, when he had to encounter the calumny and prejudices of all his early connections, and of a great part of the European as well as Hindoo population. From a conversation which I had with Rammohun Roy myself, I perfectly understood why he was liable to the imputation of concurring in turn with Christians of different denominations. He distinctly stated to me, that from the deepest study of their respective tenets, he had come to the conclusion that the differences were purely verbal-the result of the imperfections of language, and that in every essential all Christians were agreed. It followed naturally, that he could join heartily in the worship of every sect, though the Unitarian was to his taste least exceptionable in respect to language. These sentiments of his remind me of what was said by Dr Tuckerman of a distinguished member of another church I am divided from such a man only by a word. If the evidence of countenance be not rejected, the expression of moral intrepidity would have been seen in that of Rammohun Roy: There is written in your brow honesty and constancy. As to his acquiescence from cour tesy, I had personal experience of the contrary; for when at my house, he opposed an opinion of mine with great energy. He maintained that murder ought to be punished with death; while my own opinion is in accordance with that of the conductors of the Phrenological Journal respecting capital punishment."

We are happy to learn from this communication, that in serious matters Rammohun Roy's Love of Approbation did not always lead him so far astray as we were induced by Mr Arnot to imagine. If we understand our correspondent aright, however, no doubt is raised with respect to the Rajah's great anxiety to avoid giving offence, and " that disposition to acquiescence," which, according to Dr Carpenter, was sometimes "known to place him in circumstances, and lead him to expressions, which made his sincerity questioned." It is probable that during the period of the Rajah's illness, his acquiescence might occasionally appear to be greater than it really was, from a desire to avoid the annoyance of disputation..

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ARTICLE V.

ANTIPHRENOLOGICAL ESSAY, by a CLERGYMAN of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND; with an ANSWER thereto, by Mr WALTER TOD.*

ALL mental energy or susceptibility being presumed to be lodged in the head, and these to be indicated by the skull, either in its general conformation, or by its particular prominences, distinguishable by sight or touch, the system set out under the modest title of Cranioscopy.

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Of late, however, it has arrogated to itself the more ostentatious title of PHRENOLOGY, from a supposed existence of corresponding protuberances in the brain (as yet a lis sub judice), which find a receptacle in these bumps upon the skull, and which are presumed to be distinct organs, through which the mind acts or is acted upon, in a similar manner as by and through the different organs of sense aftur games med to is ver * It seems to me expedient, that this pretended science ought, as soon as possible, to be hooted off the stage 1st Because, even if true and believed, it is at best useless; gives rise to much impertinences and may be attended even with dangerous consequences: and, 2d, Because it has no foundation in nature, but is futile and absurd100 qa bën se of topsis ro9

1st Even if well founded, it is useless and nugatory. For even if it did indicate in childhood to what mode of training the person should be subjected with the greatest probability of suc cess, (which is the main ground upon which its claim to utility is founded), the very same thing, that is the peculiar propensities of the child, must have been much more unequivocally manifested in its actions long before the time when any mode of education could be applied, suited to any particular profession, gi 1. But farther, if well founded and generally received as such, it necessarily must give rise to much annoying impertinence, in awkward attempts at its practical application; whether for the purpose of gratifying a merecidle curiosity, or for any other purpose of greaters seeming interest. For the fiduciary tests being mere bumps upon the skull, equally open to the observa tion of all who have merely eyes to see, and fingers to handle, and requiring (in order to draw the proper conclusions) no previous knowledge of the anatomy of the human body, or metaphysical analysis of the faculties of the mind, it is not at all wonderful that this royal road to interesting knowledge should be entered upon with eager credulity, and a confidence placed 1o of bon el 9600) to beat