ARTICLE VII.

PHRENOLOGICAL QUACKS.*

WHILE We congratulate the lovers of truth on the spread of phrenological science, we should be wanting in our duty to the subject, were we to neglect noticing, occasionally, the obstacles which its indiscreet friends throw in the way of its progress. We speak it in kindness to those who may be the subjects of our remarks that there are many abroad teaching the public Phre nology, and making application of its principles, who stand in eminent need of instruction themselves. They read a few pages of a work on the subject, and suddenly appear as men full of wisdom and experience. Whether they act from disinterested motives and err with regard to their abilities, or come out as earnest disciples with a view to gain, is a matter of no consequence to us. We have no hostility to either source of action, provided it be sustained by prudence, skill, and knowledge. But we cannot sanction the teaching of one, from whatever motive he may act, who has not thoroughly prepared himself for the task which he undertakes. Phrenology is still a new science; and the fact that it is so, renders the task of lecturing upon it difficult.

The most prevailing evil, however, at this time, is the practice of examining heads; not of well-chosen cases, where examinations may be of use to the science, but indiscriminately. Every head, whether common or uncommon, respectable or degraded, receives a formal judgment. Not content with satisfying a few inquirers, who may have had their curiosity excited by hearing lectures, there are individuals who make it their business, have their shops, and receive pay for their manipulations, at so much per head! This practice not only degrades the science, but gives rise to superficial converts, who will be likely to prove obstinate followers of the bad examples which were the means of their conviction. It turns a dignified science into a system of legerdemain, and those who are really able to promote the true philosophy of man will be prevented from investigating the subject, on account of the repulsive appearance of its exte

rior.

The rule should be, Examine no heads of living individuals of respectable standing; and the exceptions to the rule, examinations of well-marked heads, whenever it is evident that the science may be promoted by reporting them, whether in favour of, or adverse to it. This was the rule of Spurzheim; and mo

• From the American Annals of Phrenology, vol. ii. No. v., May 1835.

desty, to say the least, should suggest the proper course to his humble followers. That great man spoke frequently on this subject, and was decidedly opposed to the practice of which we complain. If such was the advice of one who had the advantage of a powerful mind, of deep learning, and thirty years experience, what can we say of him who, inferior in every respect, to a degree which we need not mention, still persists in giving premature opinions on heads, both privately and publicly!

But we are told that many dispute the truth of our doctrines, and set us at defiance. Let it be so. When demands are made for the proofs upon which our science stands, let them be answered by stating what its principles are, and how sustained— rather than in showing what phrenologists can do.

We would not be understood to speak against observation; on the contrary, we recommend it. But we are decidedly opposed to that system of observing human nature which mis takes the means for the end of science, and which tells to the world its discoveries before they are matured.

We make the following extract from the New-York Star, not because we believe it to be true, but to show how an imperfect manipulator may be imposed upon. Whether this statement be true or false, it matters but little with us, so far as we make use of it, as we have known attempts of a similar character, which rewarded their indiscreet authors with similar results:

"A Professor of Phrenology placed in an awkward predicament.-A rather laughable denoument took place, as we perceive by the Rochester Democrat, at that place a few days since. A professor, and who was literally nothing but a professor, who had been delivering a course of lectures, and who had been boasting of having successfully determined, while blindfolded, the character of about 1000 heads, was invited by a wag to accompany him to the jail as a proper theatre for the exercise of his talent. Accordingly, after tying his eyes with a bandage, he was led into a cell, where were four or five most exemplary and reputable citizens of the town, placed there purposely, on whom the Doctor, presuming them to be felons, pronounced, of course, very learnedly, touching their extensive protuberances of Combativeness, Acquisitiveness, &c. What was his astonishment afterwards to learn, on the removal of the bandage, the trick that had been imposed upon him. It was considered by the public of Rochester, a complete 'floorer,' and the Doctor was looked upon as used up.' When empirics and impostors, for the sake of gulling the public, and fleecing their pockets, meddle with edge tools' they don't understand, they deserve to be cut and marked also."

In making these remarks, we allude to no particular individual, but to many of whom we have heard. We respect their

motives, but we protest against their practices. We entreat them to desist, and to aid in promoting Phrenology in a way more in accordance with scientific taste.

ARTICLE VIII.

MR COMBE'S VISIT TO NEWCASTLE.

HAVING received an invitation from the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to lecture on Phrenology in that town, Mr Combe commenced a course of sixteen lectures, on the evening of Monday, 5th October 1835, and continued to lecture four evenings each week till the end of the month. The lecture-room of the Society, which is said to contain 300 persons, was crowded to excess. At the close of the lectures, Mr Combe received from his audience orders for Mr O'Neil, figure-caster, for upwards of 130 casts of marked busts, and of marked skulls and brains. He gave an extra lecture on Education in the Music Hall, for the purpose of raising funds to found a Phrenological Society. It was attended by 452 individuals, and the sum drawn at the door enabled him to present the Society with the whole of Mr O'Neil's collection of casts, and a small surplus in money for the purchase of books. During his stay, Mr Combe visited several institutions, of his observations at which an account is subjoined.

1. NEWCASTLE LUNATIC ASYLUM.

The Lunatic Asylum is a private institution, licensed to Dr Smith, who professed himself entirely unacquainted with Phrenology. It is situated on rising ground at the west end of the town, and commands a view of the beautiful vale of Ravensworth, and hills adjacent, on the south side of the Tyne.

In this asylum there are three classes of patients of each sex, a pauper, middle, and higher class. Each class is distinct, being furnished with day-rooms, sleeping-gallery, airing-ground, &c. The six airing-grounds of the asylum are open to the patients from morning till dusk in fine weather: there is also a large garden belonging to the institution, where the better classes exercise, and the pauper men also labour in digging, trenching, wheeling, &c. under the eye of the gardener. The asylum is kept in the highest state of cleanliness and ventilation, and every attention which the locality and nature of the building will aslow, is paid to the comfort of the patients.

Mr Mackintosh is the surgeon-superintendent, who resides in the asylum. There are a matron, four male attendants, and five

female. The servants seemed particularly humane and respectable.

Mr Combe inspected the asylum on 16th October, and was permitted to examine the heads of a few of the pauper patients: the higher classes of patients are never seen but by their friends. In the following cases the form of the insanity appeared clearly related to the predominance of certain organs in the brain. The remarks were furnished by Mr Mackintosh, and were written down before Mr Combe's arrival.

Men.

R. W.-Mr Combe pointed out that the intellectual organs are small, and that Self-Esteem and Love of Approbation are greatly predominant.-Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Monomania, religious-ruling hallucination he is Christ."

J. N.-Mr Combe: The animal organs are large; Cautiousness and Destructivenes are predominant; Hope small, and coronal region in general flat and deficient.-Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Suicidal-great misery-hypochondriacal fancies predominate-a bad character."

L. J.-Mr Combe: Acquisitiveness is enormously large in left hemisphere, and large in right.—Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Monomania, wealth."

R. B.-Mr Combe: Love of Approbation is predominantly large. Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Monomania, pride."On inquiry, Mr Combe was satisfied that the characteristic feature was vanity. Pride and vanity are frequently confounded by persons who are not aware of their different origins.

J. M.-Mr Combe: The temperament is bilious, nervous, and lymphatic. The intellectual organs are fully developed; Veneration, Firmness, Self-Esteem, and Concentrativeness, are all very large, particularly Veneration and Concentrativeness.Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Monomania-the Messiah-a Jew by proselytism-England to be subdued by the Jews-he their leader-much bloodshed-perfectly sane and tractable on all other subjects."

C. S.-Mr Combe: The intellectual organs are large, particularly in the superciliary ridge. The organ of Number is predominantly large, strikingly depressing the external angle of the eye.-Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Dementia-love of arithmetic and accounts-perpetually employed in figures."-When his hands were confined, he used the tip of his tongue and saliva to write figures on the walls. It bore marks of excoriation from this practice when Mr Combe saw him.

Women.

M. D.-Mr Combe: Cautiousness and Destructiveness are excessively large; Hope extremely small; the coronal region in general deficient.-Remarks by Mr Mackintosh: "Great misery -suicidal monomania.”

E. H.-Mr Combe: Wonder predominantly large in left hemisphere, and large in right.-Remark by Mr Mackintosh: Spiritual influences."

Every phrenologist who is acquainted with the effects of the combinations of the organs, and of disease, on their manifestations, will perceive that in all these cases the form of the disease bore an obvious relation to the organs which predominated in excess in the brain.

These were the leading cases of strongly marked peculiar hallucinations. Some of the other patients had become insane from injuries of the brain, such as blows and concussion; others manifested general dementia without particular hallucinations, and Mr Combe explained that in such cases it was not to be expected that the form of the brain should afford an index to the features of the disease.

The foregoing report was submitted by Mr Combe to the perusal of Dr Smith and Mr Mackintosh, and it met their approbation. Mr Mackintosh expressed his regret that he had not made his notes more full, but at the time when he wrote them he had no idea of their being intended for publication.

2. DUNSTANE LODGE ASYLUM.

On 21st October 1835, Mr Combe, accompanied by Dr D. B. White, Mr T. M. Greenhow, surgeon, Mr William Hardcastle, surgeon, Mr W. A. Mitchell, editor of The Tyne Mercury, Mr William Hutton, and Captain Hooke, visited the Asylum kept by Mr Wilkinson at Dunstane Lodge, two and a half miles from Newcastle. Mr Wilkinson is not a phrenologist. Mr Combe explained that, in cases of decided monomania, the character of the insanity generally has a perceptible relation to the development of the brain; and with the view of shewing that this is the case, he proposed to examine the heads of a few of these patients, and to write down his observations on them before any information was given of the particular affections under which each laboured. In pursuance of this purpose, the following patients were introduced, examined, and commented on.

Patient, J. F.-Mr Combe's Observations: The organs of Self-Esteem and Firmness are predominant; but those of Wonder, Secretiveness, and Acquisitiveness, are also large. The character of the insanity will be self-esteem, and probably cun