ARTICLE IV.

CONCENTRATIVENESS.

DR HOPPE of Copenhagen, in a letter to Mr George Combe, dated 27th March 1825, and published in our second volume, p. 511, makes the following observations on Concentrativeness: "You will recollect, perhaps, from my last letter, that I could not penetrate into your views of the organ No. 3. Now, they are perfectly clear to me, and I am quite convinced of your correctness. A gentleman with whom I am intimately acquainted is a good example of a very great deficiency in this organ. He has good intellectual faculties, and embraces now one, now another thing, with enthusiasm; but is soon tired of it, and gives it up for a new one. This is not only the case with intellectual occupations, but he has always been laughed at for other peculiarities connected with the same cause. He seldom likes to study, for instance, in his own room; choosing for some days one place, but soon changing it for another-never being able to sit down to the book for half an hour in quietness. With all this, he is far from being volatile, or too sanguine of temper. Firmness, Conscientiousness, and Cautiousness, are rather large, and Hope rather small. I need not add, that in his head a cavity is to be found in the situation of No. 3, though neither Philoprogenitiveness nor Self-Esteem, the neighbouring organs, is above an average size. The fundamental function of No. 3. is probably to give attachment to what we are about. It may have some share in love of country; but it must be joined, I suppose, with Veneration, and perhaps Self-Esteem, to take this special direction."

These ideas of Dr Hoppe are ingeniously followed out by an anonymous correspondent in Edinburgh, whose communication reached us so long ago as 1827, but, having fallen aside, never appeared in our pages. We have lately received from Mr William Hancock junior another communication on the same subject, in which very similar views are maintained. Though not convinced of the soundness of all the remarks in these commu

1827), p. 82, that “another case, perfectly analogous, produced by a fall from a horse, exists in Kentucky, not far from Lexington. Several others are reported on authority that must be respected." Mr Forster, in his Somatopsychonoologia (London, 1823), p. 54, says :—“ Some curious facts in dreaming, too numerous to be detailed here, seem to shew that the organs of one hemisphere sometimes become vigilant, while those of the other remain dormant." Should this note fall under Mr Forster's eye, we shall be glad to hear from him particularly regarding the facts to which he alludes.-EDITO R.

nications, we willingly insert both, in the hope that, whatever may be thought of their conclusiveness, they may at least help to bring about a final settlement of this long-agitated question. Mr Hancock, however, would have considerably enhanced the value of his letter, by specifying more fully the cerebral development of the individuals whose cases are introduced.

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66 TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

SIR, Though I cannot subscribe to many of the opinions generally entertained by phrenologists, yet, acknowledging that there is some truth in their fundamental propositions, and approving of their mode of investigation, I cordially wish them success, and feel desirous of adding my mite to the stock of valuable information they have acquired on subjects connected with the philosophy of mind.

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Having been not only led to the study of human nature by natural inclination, but in a manner driven to it by external circumstances, I flatter myself that the following observations (suggested by a perusal of Mr Combe's System of Phrenology), will be found not altogether undeserving of a place in your Journal.

"Concentrativeness seems to be the least understood of all the propensities, and the facts ascertained with regard to it have hitherto been very few..

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Perhaps the best and simplest definition that can be given of it is the love of pursuit, or attachment to the occupation which at any particular time occupies the greatest share of our attention. The natural and indeed necessary effect of such an attachment, is the concentration of our faculties upon this favourite occupation. This effect, however, this calling of the intellect -into action, and directing of its energies to the object in view, is not produced by any power or faculty peculiar to the organ in question, but by one common to it with the other propensities; for any one of them, when strongly excited, concentrates all our powers of mind upon the attainment of that which it desires. Thus if a man in whom Amativeness and Adhesiveness are large, be deeply in love, his thoughts are ever turning on his mistress, and every faculty is exerted to the utmost in order to gain the heart and hand of her who is the object of his affections: so when our love of a pursuit is strong, the whole power of the intellect is directed towards it; the perceptive faculties let no fact escape observation, and the reflecting let none pass by unemployed, that can be rendered available to the purpose intended.

"Like the other propensities, too, its place, when weak, may be partly, though not wholly, supplied. A mother in whom

Philoprogenitiveness is defective, may be led by Conscientiousness and Benevolence to take care of her children; but she can never give that unceasing and unwearied attention to their wants which is given by those whose strong Philoprogenitiveness feels a maternal delight in so doing. And they who have little attachment to the pursuit in which they are engaged, may, from various motives, continue steadily at it, but can never give it the close and concentrated regard which proceeds from that very attention being in itself a source of pleasure.

"Neither can this attachment be excited by the mere desire of acting in a certain way, by the mere conviction of the propriety or utility of a certain line of conduct, any more than love of offspring and love of friends can be excited in a similar manner.

"With respect to its object:-When strong it may be said to be exclusive, in this particular resembling Amativeness alone. We may love at the same time, and in an equal degree, many children and many friends; but a man can seldom, if ever, be ardently in love with more than one mistress at a time. She who coquets with many, who pays a compliment first to one and then to another, generally cares for none. So it is but seldom that two pursuits can share equally our attachment; and the propensity we are now considering must be weak in him who can quickly turn from one occupation to another, and find an equal degree of pleasure in them all. Both of these propensities give a shade to our character by their general manifestation. Amativeness renders us respectful and attentive to every female, and Concentrativeness leads us to take an interest even in those pursuits which only momentarily attract our notice, and consequently to give them, while that interest lasts, an undivided attention. Still, however, one object is the pole-star which guides our course. We may look round for an instant on the other constellations, but it is to this alone that the eye is steadily directed. This gives a sort of individuality or unity of purpose to our conduct, which is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the propensity we are now considering. When Concentrativeness is strong, we are like travellers in haste to reach their journey's end. They may occasionally halt for refreshment and repose; they may sometimes pause to contemplate the beauty of the scenery; but they will not go off their road, nor make any unnecessary delay. When it is weak we are like tourists on a party of pleasure, constantly leaving the track proposed, and stopping for every trifle.

"It does not, however, give us the power of discriminating and selecting what is best suited for our purpose: this would impart to it the character of an intellectual faculty, which it is no more entitled to than is any other of the propensities. Mr Combe, therefore, seems to attribute rather too much to its effect, when

he adduces a specimen of a rambling style as a proof of the writer's want of Concentrativeness; for though it will undoubtedly give him a desire to keep close to the subject, a writer may have no want of attachment to his pursuit, though he does not see clearly what facts and arguments bear most directly upon it. It gives unity of purpose, but not unity of execution and design. "In strict accordance with the description here given, Mr Combe calls it a tendency to concentrate the mind within itself, and to direct its powers in a combined effort to one object; the seeming difference between the two accounts being merely verbal. Dr Hoppe of Copenhagen says, The fundamental function of No. 3. is probably to give attachment to what we are about? and Mr Welsh thinks that it gives the tendency to dwell on any thing, till all or most of the faculties are satisfied respecting it. Some following remarks will shew more clearly the accord ance of this last conjecture, with the supposition of its function being love of pursuit, or attachment to what we are about.

"Dr Spurzheim calls it Inhabitiveness, because he has found the organ largely developed in several persons fond of living in the country; but it is at least probable, that this fondness for a country life arose rather from a liking to country pursuits, than from an affection for any particular spot. Mountaineers no doubt are, as he observes, commonly much attached to their native soil; but so are they also to their native pursuits, which can be carried on in such situations alone.

"Concentrativeness seems to be the basis of what is commonly called enthusiasm in studies or professions. Two men are frequently found equal in talents, and similar in dispositions. To the one his profession is the source of constant pleasure; to the other it is a drudgery, to which he submits only because he thereby gains a livelihood. In the former, I should expect to find Concentrativeness large, its energies being directed to his profession; in the latter it is either weak or directed to something else.

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"When this attachment is directed towards objects of minor importance, these objects are frequently called, in familiar conversation, hobbies. Every man,' says the proverb, has his hobby; and so far this is true: for as every man has the organ in question, so every man is attached, in a certain degree, to his favourite pursuit: but in some this attachment is much stronger and more evident than in others; in some cases it hardly amounts to a decided preference,-in others it is persevering, impetuous, and exclusive.

There are other kinds of attachment to pursuit, which are somewhat similar, in effect, to that which we have been considering, but are very different in their causes and nature. these we must carefully distinguish it.

From

"In the first place, it is distinct from that species of attachment to a pursuit, which is produced by a sense of the advantages resulting from it. The one refers to the end, the other to the means by which that end may be attained. An avaricious man, for example, will prosecute eagerly any study or occupation which he hopes will bring him emolument; he who is actuated by a love of pursuit, will follow after it because he finds pleasure in it simply as a pursuit. The former will abandon it whenever a more lucrative occupation is offered; the latter will persevere, till either the actual impossibility of carrying it on, or the imperative commands of reason or the higher sentiments, compel him to desist-and even then, he will part from it like a lover from his mistress, with unwillingness and regret. Persons who are of what is called a sanguine disposition, in whom Hope and Ideality are strong, are frequently found to manifest this second species of attachment. When we contemplate the object to be obtained, Hope lends enchantment to the view; and while the fond illusion lasts, the same concentration of ideas, the same tendency of the thoughts to turn upon one particular object is shewn; but when the illusion has passed away, our ardour vanishes too.

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"A third species of attachment to pursuit, is produced by one faculty being much stronger than the rest. When Tune, for example, is large, there will be an attachment to music, though Concentrativeness be small; but this species is so easily distinguished from the others, that it is only necessary to mention it.

"Concentrativeness, however, though a distinct propensity, seldom acts alone. The more desirable an object appears to us, the greater, cæteris paribus, will be our love of the pursuit. A moderate endowment of the propensity we are now considering, joined to Hope and Ideality large, will produce a greater degree of ardour, than a large Concentrativeness with Hope and Ideality small; though probably what it exceeds in ardour, it will want in constancy: the one will be like the pursuit of the greyhound, rapid but soon given over, and in vain if not immediately successful; the other, like that of the bloodhound, slow, but persevering and sure. Its effects will also be greater if our attention is directed to occupations suited to our talents and dispositions indeed, like Adhesiveness, it can be directed only towards a congenial object. As we can never love him as a friend, whose character and feelings are opposite to our own, so we cannot take pleasure in any occupation opposed by our predominating sympathies and tastes: the naturally timid and cowardly can never become fond of a soldier's or a sailor's life."