and where no other obvious sign than irregularity of function would induce us to refer the disease to the stomach; there are such cases, in which a cure may be effected almost at once by the application of a few leeches or a blister to its region. And I apprehend, that in many cases of functional disturbance of the brain, advantage would be gained by directing the physical treatment to particular localities, according to the circumstances of the case, even where no physical signs would lead us to any distinct region of the head. A large proportion of the cases met with amongst the inmates of a lunatic asylum being of an incurable nature, I may here refer to the assistance which Phrenology would render to the medical attendant, in his discrimination of the hopeless from the other cases. Many who have displayed mental imperfection from their birth, owe their misfortune, proximately, to faulty size or configuration of the head. It were almost superfluous to observe, that as Phrenology would readily lead to the discovery of such patients, so would it enable the practitioner to give, in these cases, a much more accurate prognosis than, under other circumstances, would be practicable; just as an asthmatic chest (to refer again to the general analogy of medicine) dependent upon native malformation or deficiency of size, would at once be pronounced incurable.

I think it will appear manifest from what has been advanced in the present essay, that upon the assumption of the truth of the great principles and of the leading details of Phrenology, the science can be shewn to be of the most extensive utility; and that, by its aid, facts may be ascertained, and an accuracy in reasoning thereupon be secured, which we should look for or attempt in vain in the absence of this powerful auxiliary. If Phrenology be recognised as sound doctrine, it must be received as the sure physiology of the brain and the true philosophy of the mind, so far as this latter can be made a subject of investigation in the present life; and insanity, or mental derangement, must be allowed to stand in the same relation to certain states of the brain, as disease of an ordinary nature is allowed to stand to the varying conditions of the rest of the animal fabric. Hence it must be obvious, that if a responsibility attaches itself to one class of individuals more than to another upon the subject of Phrenology, the members of the medical profession constitute that class. If we may in any manner measure the importance of an organ by the character of its functions, we may certainly claim for the study of every thing connected with the brain and its functions, a fair share of that time and attention which medical men devote to the cultivation of their profession. It is, however, much to be regretted that medical men do not pay that attention to Phrenology which the public have a right to demand at their hands. It must, indeed, be granted that many,

of the highest attainments in science and philosophy, are withheld from the study of Phrenology by the persuasion of its want of foundation in nature. But, as is almost invariably the case, we find such individuals to be in ignorance of the true nature of the science at which they scoff, and invariably learn, upon inquiry, that they have not taken the only sure means of arriving at a proper conclusion: they have not appealed to Nature to see for themselves whether the things said of Phrenology be so; and hence, however great or eminent such individuals may be in most of those things which elevate mankind above their fellows, yet, considered as witnesses upon what they have not observed, they are entirely worthless: they may attempt to reason against Phrenology from the analogy of what they have observed, but in no case is analogical reasoning admissible in opposition to direct.

It is a melancholy truth, but one which will generally be allowed, that mankind, for the most part, are stimulated to the prosecution of science by motives of a selfish nature; and Love of Approbation and Acquisitiveness are but too often the main inducements. The medical student does not form an exception to the general character of his race; and hence he studies with assiduity those things only which, according to the state of popular information, will be the most likely to procure for himself honour and emolument. Amongst practitioners, the objectors to the study of Phrenology will allow of a threefold division, upon the same principle as that on which Dr Mackintosh of Edinburgh, in his "Practice of Physic," classes the objectors to the employment of the stethoscope:-1st, There are those who are too well employed to study any thing new; 2dly, Those who have not the requisite mental faculty for enabling them to appreciate the nature of Phrenology; and, 3dly, Those who are too indolent or too old. From any of the above-mentioned classes of individuals, Phrenology, as a progressive science, can have nothing to hope: but to those who neglect to investigate its truth or falsehood because they do not see how it is to be the source of either honour or emolument, it may be said, that, when proved to be true, as it will certainly be to the full conviction of all who inquire of Nature in a philosophic spirit, its advantages to the conscientious practitioner of medicine are of sufficient importance to stimulate the inquirer to obtain their possession; and that the loss which those ignorant of Phrenology sustain in many important departments of their art, is no inappropriate penalty for their contumelious neglect. And, lastly, I may offer to many a more effective and a more stirring argument, when I say, that, from the great progress which Phrenology has made, and is now making, amongst the non-professional part of the community, the time may not be at any great distance when

the public will refuse to pardon, in the medical man, ignorance of what they believe to be the only true physiology, and the only sure basis of the pathology, of the most important organ in the animal economy; and it is not impossible that, in many cases, they may be induced to signify their indisposition to pardon such ignorance in a way which may be very sensibly felt, and in a manner not readily to be forgotten. But let no such paltry or ignoble views of the objects of science sully the path which we are pursuing: we are convinced that Phrenology is true; we are assured of its advantages; and we are accumulating evidence to increase our own information, and to carry conviction to the minds of others and if in this pursuit we have no other reward, we shall have that which is above all price-the satisfaction of an approving conscience.

ARTICLE VIII.

CASE ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE UTILITY OF PHRENOLOGY.

A YOUNG gentleman, 19 years of age, from England, accompanied by a clergyman who acted as his tutor, brought a letter to a phrenologist in Edinburgh, with a request that the young man's head should be examined, as his character and history were very extraordinary. The request was complied with, and the following development was carefully taken, and afterwards confirmed by other four phrenologists who took an interest in the singular case.

DEVELOPMENT.

General size of head considerable; anterior lobe large; temperament, two parts sanguine, two nervous, and one lymphatic. Development irregular and unusual.

As there was the appearance of a ricketty and scrofulous constitution, and the presence of high nervous excitement, it was asked, Whether the young man had been a ricketty and scrofulous child, and late of walking alone? The answer was in the affirmative, and that he could not walk alone till he was six years old. To the question as to excitement and excitability, it was answered, that he was almost always under an extraordinary excitement. From this it was inferred, that there would be an unusual impetus in his actions; to the statement of which inference the answer was, "Yes, he is always at high pressure, straining after this object and that."

It was obvious that this was a case of unhealthy action; and as the excitement was known to the phrenologist, he did not consider the case as one of which, had he seen only a plaster cast of the head, he could have spoken as he actually proceeded to do. Knowing that the impulses were strong, he treated the case as one of a certain degree of derangement, and inferred what it was likely that in that character it would turn out to be. From the development he inferred that all the three classes of faculties, animal, moral, and intellectual, would act with a force beyond the control of the individual, and stated to the tutor,-out of the young man's presence, that there would be a strange contrariety of character: on the one hand, very considerable talents, a very powerful and active benevolence, and strong religious emotions; on the other, a relatively moderate conscientiousness, great self-sufficiency, a tendency to cunning, deceit, and falsehood, a certain unconcern about character, with some animal propensities of a still more puzzling kind. Acquisitiveness being large, Conscientiousness not more than full, and Cautiousness only rather full, it was conjectured that the manifestations of the first might have perplexed the individual's friends. The tutor was much struck with the question, " Does your pupil ever appropriate articles that do not belong to him?" and the answer was given, not without emotion, that he had been forced to quit a great educational institution for detected theft, both in shops and houses; and that to board him far away from all who knew him, and from criminal prosecutions yet threatened against him, was the chief reason for bringing him to Scotland.

It was then asked, If it was not known that he was a slave to the solitary abuse of Amativeness? The answer was affirmative, -that he was brought home from school on that account, and that the vice shewed itself by natural impulse so early as six years of age. The organ supposed to be that of the instinct. for food, to which the name of Alimentiveness has been given, -being considerable, a question was put, Whether or not fits of unaccountable voracity did not sometimes shew themselves?

To this also the answer was affirmative, and that the whole three vices seemed to have a simultaneous activity, the one impelling to the other, so that it was necessary to watch the stealing propensity whenever the voracity shewed itself. The solitary vice had evidently injured the whole brain; and incipient paralysis, its usual consequence, was observed from other symptoms.

The case was so evidently one of cerebral derangement, that the phrenologist told the tutor that the poor young man was a PATIENT, and not a CRIMINAL. He was of a family of fortune, wanted for nothing, and had no temptation to theft; yet, nevertheless, the propensity was beyond his control. The tutor expressed a feeling of great relief on hearing that there was really an excuse for the conduct of a youth whom, with all his faults, he could not help loving for his many amiable qualities. With considerable emotion he said that it was the first moment of something like consolation which he had experienced in the unhappy case. Wherever he had before turned, he had seen hostile society, and even legal vengeance; the walls of the late place of his pupil's studies chalked with his disgrace, and prosecution threatened by tradesmen. The present was the first time that he had heard him humanely sheltered as an irresponsible being, visited with disease by his Maker's hand.

There was no difficulty in explaining from the development, the tutor's affection for a youth, whom society had, in ignorance, hunted from its pale; for the organization of the young man indicated great kindness of heart, which his tutor said was manifested at any expense of personal labour,―great tenderness to children,—and, what was most to his tutor's content, who himself had strong religious feelings, ardent devotional sentiments, and active religious habits. These last, he said, extended not only to much prayer and contrite confession of his besetting sins, but to visiting and praying with the sick, reading with the poor, and zealously teaching a Sunday school. Of course, all who knew the fatal propensity to which the young man is subject, set all his religion down to gross and disgusting hypocrisy. Not so the phrenologist, who knows that such feelings, as feelings, are quite as much impulses as the acquisitive propensity itself. The tutor was furnished with a series of queries, and his observations in writing requested,-each query being understood to be a predicate of what the phrenologist had concluded from his own inspection; and, for a reason to be stated in the sequel, we are permitted to publish the whole case, including the following letter received from the tutor. The queries will be easily distinguished from the answers, as the latter are printed in italics, within brackets.

1. To note down a history of Mr as far as known to him, beginning with his infancy; and the nature of the weak