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against her inclination, the object of her solicitude, rescued her from death, or confirmed mental derangement. If this case had been allowed to proceed uninterruptedly to its natural termination, many pious persons would have marvelled at the mysterious dispensations of Providence in afflicting so dutiful a daughter; whereas, when the principle of the divine government is understood, the result appears neither wonderful nor perplexing. i In the works of religious authors, many erroneous views of divine dispensations may be found, traceable to ignorance of the natural laws. The Reverend Ebenezer Erskine, speaking of the state of his wife's mind, says, For a month or two the arrows of the Almighty were within her, the poison whereof did drink up her spirits and the terrors of God did set themselves in array against her. He called in the assistance of some neighbouring clergymen to join in prayers on her behalf, and she was induced to pray with them; but she still continued to charge herself with the unpardonable sin, and to conclude that she was acast away. Such feelings occurring in a woman of blameless life, clearly indicated diseased action in the organs of Cautiousness. Before she fell into these depths,' he continues, she told me that the Lord gave her such a discovery of the glory of Christ as darkened the whole creation, and made all things appear as dung and dross in comparison of him. These expressions indicate excessive excitement of the organs of Wonder and Veneration. She subsequently recovered her mental serenity; and her husband treats of the whole phenomena as purely mental and religious. He, however, afterwards incidentally mentions that she was subject to bad health, and that melancholy was a great ingredient in her disease. We now know that melancholy is a diseased affection of the organs of Cautiousness.

At the time when Mr Erskine lived and wrote, the phy siology of the brain was unknown; the occurrences which he describes had a real existence; and he had been taught to attribute them to the agency of the divine spirit, or of the devil, according to their different characters. He is, therefore, not deserving of censure for the errors into which he unavoidably fell; but now when the facts which he describes, and analogous occurrences in our own day, can be traced to diseased action of the organs of the mind, we are authorized to view the providence of God in a different light. While it would be subversive of all religion to throw any doubt whatever on the reality and importance of religious feelings, sound in their character, and directed to proper objects, it is nearly equally injurious to the sacred cause, to mistake the excitement and depression of disease for the influence of the Holy Spirit, or the agency of the enemy of mankind.

"It is mentioned also in the Life of Mr Erskine, that his wife

bore several children to him while in precarious health, and that the situation of the manse, or parsonage house, was unwholesome We are told, also, that in the year 1713, three of his children died; that one died in 1720; and that in 1723 a fifth was on the brink of death, but recovered.*He treats of all these events as severe trials, and sore afflictions without having the least glimpse of their true causes and objects, or their relation to the natural laws.ow snow arvot wol bus eodebrom

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"Again, Hannah More, in a letter to the Rev. John Newton, dated Cowslip's Green, 23d July 1788, says, When I am in the great world, I consider myself as in an enemy's country, and as beset with snares, and this puts me upon my guard. Fears and snares seem necessary to excite my circumspection; for it is certain that my mind has more languor, and my faith less energy here, where I have no temptations from without, and where I live in the full and constant perusal of the most beautiful objects of inanimate nature, the lovely wonders of the munificence and bounty of God. Yet, in the midst of his blessings, I should be still more tempted to forget him, were it not for frequent nervous headaches and low fevers, which I find to be wonderfully wholesome for my moral health.'†

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"This passage contains several propositions that merit attention. First, according to the natural laws, the most beautiful, objects of inanimate nature, and the lovely wonders of the munificence and bounty of God,' are calculated to invigorate the moral, religious, and intellectual faculties, in all well constituted and rightly instructed minds; yet Hannah More's mind had more languor, and her faith less energy,' amidst such objects, than when beset with snares.' Secondly, according both to the natural laws and to Scripture, evil communications corrupt good manners;' but when in the great world,' and in an enemy's country,' her faith was improved. And, thirdly, nervous headaches and low fevers are the consequences of departures from the organic laws, and are intended to reclaim the sufferer to obedience that the pain may cease; yet she found them wonderfully wholesome for her moral health,' and they prevented her from forgetting God!

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"Only disease or errors in education could have produced such perverted experience in a woman so talented, so pious, and so excellent as Hannah More. Can we wonder that the profane should sneer, and that practical religion should slowly advance, when piety exhibits itself in such lamentable contradiction to the divine institutions? And still more so, when, from proceeding on a false theory, it contradicts itself? Hannah More, *Life and Diary of the Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, 1831, pp. 266, 301, 286, 290, 320. + Memoirs of H. More, Vol. ii. p. 110, 111.

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in her Journal in 1794, says, Confined this week with four days' headache an unprofitable time thoughts wanderinglittle communion with God I see by every fresh trial, that the time of sickness is seldom the season for religious improvement. This great work should be done in health, or it will seldom be done well. Vol. ii. p. 418. This passage is full of sound sense; but it is in contradiction to her previous assertion, that nervous headaches and low fevers were wonderfully wholesome for her moral health. 798 odt of cotto; e #3,97%li

"These examples, to which many more might be added, may serve as illustrations of the proposition, That without a philosophy of human nature, even religious authors, when treating of sublunary events, cannot always preserve consistency either with reason or themselves; and hence that religion can never become thoroughly practical, nor put forth its full energies for human improvement, until it is wedded to philosophy. In proportion as men shall become acquainted with the natural laws, and apply them as tests to theological writings relative to this world, they will become convinced of the truth of this obser

vation."

MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.

EDINBURGH.--On 30th March, Mr Combe concluded his course of Lectures on Phrenology, delivered during last winter to the Edinburgh Association for procuring Instruction in Useful and Entertaining Sciences. It appears from the Fifth Report of the Directors, read to a general meeting of subscribers on 23d March, that the number of tickets sold for this course was 224, and that 1114 visitors were admitted to single lectures, at 6d. each. On Monday 11th May, Mr Combe commenced a course of weekly lectures on Moral Philosophy founded on Phrenology, in Clyde Street Hall.

STIRLING.We learn that a Phrenological Society was established here several months ago, and beg to be favoured with some account of its proceedings and success.

ARBROATH. In consequence of an invitation from "The Arbroath Society for the obtaining of Useful Knowledge," two lectures on Phrenology were delivered there on 13th and 20th May, by our active friend Mr W. A. F. Browne of Montrose. The audience, we understand, amounted to about 600. Mr Browne restricted himself chiefly to the proofs that the brain is the organ of the mind, and to the general principles of Phrenology; but we trust that he will speedily resume the subject at Arbroath, and pursue it into its details. We are glad to learn also that he is about to deliver, at Montrose, a course of six lectures, before the managers of the Lunatic Asylum under his superintendence, the medical men of the town, and such other individuals as may feel an interest in the subject,-upon Insanity generally, but confined more especially to the principles upon which the disease ought to be treated, and to a description of what asylums were, what they are, and what they ought to be. These lectures, of course, will be purely phrenological. Mr Browne's proposal to deliver them has been received in a very flattering manner; and as the subject is one respecting which the public at large stand greatly in need of being enlightened, we anticipate much good from the course.

LAUDER We have learned, with great pleasure, that the inhabitants of this town have seriously betaken themselves to the study of Phrenology. Mr William Tait, surgeon there, after carefully studying the science, commenced, in March last, a course of weekly lectures upon it, which have excited great interest, and have been the means of making many phrenologists. Much attention is now paid to Phrenology in Lauder, and some of its greatest opponents have become its warm supporters. The course, we believe, is not yet finished. Mr Tait has been requested to deliver an introductory lecture on Phrenology at Galashiels, where Mr M'Dougal, surgeon, intends to commence a short course immediately... These and similar facts confirm us in an opinion which we have long cherished, that the provincial medical men are to be the chief instruments in diffusing Phrenology throughout the kingdom. As it falls directly in the way of their professional studies, many of them are well informed respecting it; they are under no theological fetters; and the respect with which their opinions are generally regarded, enables them to make a decided impression on their hearers. We solicit communications from Messrs Tait and M'Dougal, and hope to see their example widely followed by young surgeons throughout the country.

WARWICK.-Letter from W. D. Watson, Esq., Secretary of the Warwick and Leamington Phrenological Society, dated 13th February 1835:-" Our members, I am happy to say, increase, and we have a very respectable Society. The Mayor has kindly permitted our meetings to take place at the CourtHouse until our funds will allow of our procuring rooms. Our casts, &c. are likewise kept there. At our fifth meeting, on the 5th of December, we had a pretty full attendance of members, and a good many visitors. A committee was appointed to reconsider the rules, and recommend such amendments and alterations as they judged proper. The Committee consisted of Dr Conolly, Mr Watson, Rev. George Childe, Mr Wilmshurst, and Rev. J. A. Morris. Dr Conolly read a very interesting paper on the history and cerebral development of King Robert Bruce, which called forth the warmest thanks from all present. The Doctor, in the first place, read such historical portions of different writers as related to the character of this celebrated Scottish monarch, and, in the next, pointed out upon the cast of the King's skull the peculiar developments which accorded with his history as far as it is known. Dr Conolly then, in the most candid manner, read over the development as given by the more expert and experienced phrenologists of Edinburgh, to shew wherein he had erred in his estimate of the development, and concluded by recommending a similar method of acquiring dexterity in reading developments to the members of the Society generally. The following gentlemen were elected Ordinary Members:- Mr D'Arcy Boulton, Surgeon, Leamington; Mr Sidney Field, Solicitor, Leamington; Mr George Matthew Paget Kitchen, Solicitor, Bedford; Mr Samuel Bucknill, Surgeon, Rugby; Mr W. M. Shillitoe, Birmingham, (W. B. Costello, London, corresponding), Mr Henry Blenkinsop, Surgeon, Warwick. Corresponding: George Hayes, Esq. Barrister, London; Mr John Lee, Surgeon, Market-Bosworth, Leicestershire. The Rev. Edmund Roy, B. A., Leamington, and Mr William Groves Perry, Warwick, were proposed as Ordinary Members. No phrenological subject was given out for discussion at the next Ordinary Meeting, as the members would be occupied with the new rules. The Sixth Meeting took place at the Court-House on Friday the 6th of February inst., when the new rules were formed and ordered to be printed. The Rev. Edmund Roy, B. A., Leamington, and Mr W. G. Perry were elected Ordinary Members, and Mr John Kimbell, Surgeon, Knouk, a Corresponding Member; Mr Henry Dale, Surgeon, Leamington, was proposed as an Ordinary Member. The Anniversary Meeting of the Society will take place at the Court-House, Warwick, on Friday the 6th of March next. By some unaccountable omission, I neglected to mention the name of Mr J. L. Levison of Doncaster, as an Honorary Member, and shall feel obliged by his name being inserted in the next number of the Journal as such. We now muster, witli Honorary and Corresponding 38 Members, and one proposed 39. I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient Servant, W. D. WATSON."

SOUTHAMPTON.-Phrenology, we learn, is fast gaining ground in Southampton. "A class," says a correspondent, "has been formed at the Mechanics' Institution, for instruction in the science, which is attended by about twenty members. They have heretofore met fortnightly, but have now agreed (March 1835) to meet weekly; and their plan is, that some member of the Class shall deliver a lecture or read a paper of his own composition at each meeting. They began with the bones of the Skull; then followed the Anatomy of the Brain, the Temperaments, and the three great divisions of the head; on each of which several subjects some excellent observations were made. The class is now proceeding regularly with the organs according to their order; and on the organ of Acquisitiveness, a mere mechanic, who shews a good development of the moral and intellectual organs, recently read a paper full of original matter derived principally from his own observations, in which he introduced the following Epitaphs and Eulogy on Phrenology. As these may be considered almost extempore productions, they ought to be publicly recorded, and any faults which may be discoverable in their composition are excusable.

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This grave is Christian's Yes, the orphans' friend

Is gone...but mark! his was a peaceful end;
His gold, his life, his soul to God was given,
He fell asleep in Christ, then woke in heaven!
Eulogy on Phrenology.

Phrenology, though all the rage,
Says one, my thoughts shall ne'er engage;
What man of sense will place reliance
In so contemptible a science?

I can't think one would dare maintain
The seat of mind is in the brain,
That skulls or bumps, whate'er their size,
Can prove their owners fools or wise.
Another says, I hate it much,
Because its principles are such
As will to fatalism lead,
Cause infidelity to spread,
A thousand other evils bring,
Abuse the laws of God and king,
Expose one's conduct, good or bad,
Distract men's minds, and drive them mad.
A third, T'will die, like Jonah's gourd ;
This man's deranged, don't take his word.

For, lo! it spreads on every hand,
Both far and wide, by sea and land.→→
Well, Antis, is this all you find
Against the doctrine of the mind?
Pray hide your heads, end the debate;
'Tis plain you've each a shallow pate.
Next to religion, find who can

A system so befitting man;

His mind t'exalt, delight his sense,

Or teach him pure benevolence.

If gold or silver you compare

With Gall's rich boon, they're light as air;

This German science all should prize,
And ne'er philanthropy despise.
Soon may its philosophic truth
Be taught at school to every youth.
It cannot die, but must obtain

While sun, and moon, and stars remain."

Future communications from Southampton will be acceptable.

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