cation and example, he maintained that it was nature which could alone create; that in the moral world, as in the natural, she is very predominant; shaping to her own ends the subsidiary aids of instruction and experience, and converting, in some sense, into her own elements all that surrounds her; "as the magnet rolled in the dust, attracts, among a thousand other substances, the particles of its kindred metal."

These observations apply to powers and dispositions, the results of radical character, without, however, excluding the doctrine of free agency and moral accountability, with which, by ingenuous minds, it will be readily admitted they do not in reality interfere. Who, that knows any thing of the world, but must admit that after taking into account all foreign and adventitious influence, differences ascribable to nature principally appear even in the same family-that some men seem naturally highminded, frank, honest, generous and sincere ; others mean, reserved, knavish, selfish and hypocritical. These differences appear, sometimes, under circumstances which render it so

difficult to account for them on any known principles, or any lights that can be borrowed from the history of individuals, that some malign influence has been assigned as the cause of

them:

"Lo these were they whose breasts the furies steel'd, "And cursed with hearts unknowing how to yield."

While these speculations, however, announce a moral fact, which history and observation would seem to verify, they should rather have a tendency to give energy to our efforts for the improvement of mankind, than to make us feeble and desponding. The original perversity and obliquity of human character should induce us to study it more deeply, that we may multiply to the utmost extent, our resources for counteracting its downward and awful tendencies. These aids must be sought and found, in the opinion of the author, in the assiduous cultivation of the science of Physiognomy, and of the inductive philosophy of the human

"

would exert only a very limited influence. From his rapid and accurate estimates, the editor has been frequently disposed to believe, that he owed much to a native discernment, in some measure independent of Physiognomy; this, however, was not his own opinion. "Show me the heads of two men," he would say, "and I will venture to point out in the one the marks of solidity, *judgment, discretion, and powers of just and original thinking—in the other, the indications of a fine imagination, fruitful resources, exhaustless wit and eloquence, but a want of that just and accurate reasoning which arises from a clear perception of what is strictly true or prudent. Let these two men be presented with an opportunity of delivering their sentiments on an important subject of practical debate; those of the one shall be distinguished for their originality, reason, and wisdom; those of the other, for their plausibility, ingenuity, and a character of imposing eloquence." Such a distinction is perfectly intelligible to those conversant with the intellectual habitudes which life is continually presenting. The successful

advocate, for instance, whose powers enable the better rea

him to make "the worse appear son," who can take a side with an almost inconceivable dexterity, may himself remain ignorant of the real merits of a disputed question; and though possessing gifts equally calculated to excite astonishment and admiration, may yet never rank among "the minds who will transmit their decisions to posterity.". All this, the author of these Fragments contended, was capable of demonstration on the principles of physiognomical science. It was natural, thus accustomed as he was to study human nature as it was presented by form and feature, that he should entertain a predilection for what was native and original of whatever kind, over what was merely acquired; and that he should be disposed to ascribe less to the influence of education than has commonly been assigned to it. He consequently maintained that there were natural and essential differences in the intellectual and moral characters of men;-that a character which is marked by strength and spirit, rather acts than is acted upon. Without denying a certain degree of influence to edu

maintained that it

2 could alone create; that in as in the natural, she is very

shaping to her own ends the sub

dyads of instruction and experience, and converting, in some sense, into her own elements all that surrounds her; "as the magnet rolled in the dust, attracts, among a thousand other substances, the particles of its kindred metal."

These observations apply to powers and dispositions, the results of radical character, without, however, excluding the doctrine of free agency and moral accountability, with which, by ingenuous minds, it will be readily admitted they do not in reality interfere. Who, that knows any thing of the world, but must admit that after taking into account all foreign and adventitious influence, differences ascribable to nature principally appear even in the same family-that some men seem naturally highminded, frank, honest, generous and sincere ; others mean, reserved, knavish, selfish and hypocritical. These differences appear, sometimes, under circumstances which render it so