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them the next. This would be a kind of fatuity, but not a constant and not a general one. This would be an affection of only one faculty, as Phrenology establishes; and I should have hopes of this case, if the power of remembering size, shape, colour, succession, of the textures of bodies still remained."

Dr Epps mentions that subsequent accounts lead him to believe that the cure will prove permanent. We recommend the careful consideration of the case to our medical readers, and think it creditable to Dr Epps' professional skill and discrimination. We shall be glad to find his sanguine expectations of future success confirmed by farther experience. When, as in this instance, medical men find their advice required because they are phrenologists, our science will speedily become more popular amongst

them.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.

EDINBURGH.-The Phrenological Society met for the first time this Session in Clyde Street Hall on 13th November, on which occasion Mr Simpson read an interesting essay, entitled, "Reasons for concluding that the func tion hitherto attributed to a faculty of weight, resistance, or equilibrium, is twofold, and belongs to two distinct endowments, namely, a sense for resistance, and a faculty for force." The following donations were laid on the table-Cast of the skull of Robert Burns, presented by John Macdiarmid, Esq.-Cast of the head of an Idiot, aged 20; presented by the Manchester Phrenological Society-Casts of the heads of Mrs Grimstone, Miss Martineau, Mr Godwin (1829), Mr Coleridge (1828), the same (July 1834, within twelve hours after death), Mr H., Surgeon (1829), the same (August 1832), Mr G. Wright, Painter and Engraver (1829), and the same (1833); also masks of Mr Godwin (1806), and Mr Coleridge (1810); presented by I. D. Holm, Esq. London--Cast of the anterior half of the head of Bonaparte, and mask of Lord Brougham; presented by James Wardrop, Esq., London-Dr Epps's Horæ Phrenologica, second edition; presented by the author-Casts of the head of Sir Walter Scott, and of the anterior part of the head of Napoleon; presented by Mr Anthony O'Neill. For these valuable donations, the best thanks of the Society were voted to the donors.

THE EDINBURGH ETHICAL SOCIETY for the Study and Practical Application of Phrenology meets in the University every Friday evening, at half-past eight o'clock. The following office-bearers were elected on 14th November: Robert Cox, and A. G. Hunter, Presidents; R. Duncan Douglas, Secretary ; Thomas Moffatt, Treasurer; George Cruickshank, Librarian; Alexander Ireland, J. Montgomery Stuart, James Walker, H. M. Sinclair, and Abram Cox, Councillors.

Mr Combe is lecturing on Phrenology to a large audience in the Waterloo Rooms, on the evenings of Monday and Thursday.

GLASGOW.-Dr Weir concluded several weeks ago his course of Lectures on Phrenology in the Mechanics' Institution. The number of hearers was one hundred and twenty, besides a hundred visitors to individual lectures. Throughout the course, a lively interest was manifested by the audience, and the attendance continued undiminished to the last. In the end of October, Dr Wood commenced his annual course of Popular Lectures on Anatomy and Physiology; at least twelve of which will be devoted to the consideration of Phrenology.

ALYTH.-We are happy to learn that the members of the Alyth Phrenological Society, under the guidance of their benevolent president Mr Fenton, are steadily persevering in their studies, and anxious to reduce Phrenology to practice, by making it their guide in the performance of the duties of life. The number of members is increasing, and, from the circumstance that several of them come from Lintrathen, eight miles distant, to the meetings, it is evident that no small interest has been excited. The Forfar mechanics, we understand, are mustering to form a Phrenological Society in that town.

WARWICK. The following communication, dated 5th November, has been received from Mr W. D. Watson, Secretary of the Warwick and Leamington Phrenological Society:-"On the 8th of August, the third meeting of our Society took place, on which occasion we had several visitors. Dr Conolly gave us a most interesting lecture on the brain and nervous system, which was listened to with the deepest attention. After the lecture, the following gentlemen were elected members :-Dr Andrew Combe, and Dr Barlow of Bath, honorary; Mr James Tibbets, solicitor, Warwick, and Mr John Prichard, surgeon, Leamington, ordinary; and the Rev. H. T. Woodington, Hampton-in-Arden, corresponding. The organ of the faculty of Tune was announced as the subject for discussion at the next meeting.--The fourth meeting took place on the 3d of October, by permission of the Mayor, at the CourtHouse, my rooms being too small for our numbers. There was a very good attendance of members, and many visitors were present. Dr Kennedy of Ashby having forwarded a handsome donation to the Society, it was presented, and consisted of busts of Drs Gall and Spurzheim-cast of King Robert Bruce's skull and coffin plate-cast of a brain, and a copy of the Exposure of Dr Wayte's Antiphrenology. After some other preliminary business, the debate for the evening commenced, and, considering the novelty of the thing to most of the members, it was carried on with considerable spirit. The following gentlemen, having signified their wish to become members, will be ballotted for at the next meeting of the Society, which will take place on the 5th of December:-W. B. Costills, Esq. of London; George Hayes, Esq., barrister, London; W. M. Shillitoe, Esq., Birmingham; George Matthew Paget Kitchen, Esq., solicitor, Barford; Samuel Bucknill, Esq., surgeon, Rugby; D'Arcy Boulton, Esq., surgeon, Leamington; Sidney Field, Esq., solicitor, Leamington; John Lee, Esq., surgeon, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire; William Blenkinsop, Esq., surgeon, Warwick; Henry Blenkinsop, Esq., surgeon, Warwick. I have every reason to hope that our meetings will now be held at the Court-House, and the Corporation have kindly furnished us with a proper place there for our casts."

DUBLIN. We have been favoured with a sight of "A concluding Address delivered before the Richmond Medical Society, at the close of the session ending 28th June 1834. By W. P. C., Member of the Committee. Dublin: E. Madden, 1834." This Address, which has been printed in consequence of an unanimous resolution of the Society, furnishes a gratifying proof that Phrenology is not asleep among the medical gentlemen of Dublin. After alluding to an Essay read during the session by Mr James Duncan, "On the Importance of the Consideration of Mental Disease as a subject of Medical Education," the Address thus proceeds :-" Gentlemen, it is not here my intention to enter upon an investigation of the proper treatment of these truly awful maladies; but the every day enlarging views of this truly enlightened age, and the confident anticipation that an accurate and diligent record will yet be kept of cases observed in reference to this very subject, warrant my expectation that the nature of those wonderful and appalling diseases may yet be ascertained, and their treatment be conducted on truly scientific principles. Do not turn from me as a fanciful theorist, when I express my humble conviction, that from the further development of the rapidly advancing science of Phrenology (long a chosen theme of vituperation, but now gradually acquiring that influence which must ever arise from truth,) those results are to be anticipated; compared with which the profound discoveries of an Archimedes or Newton-the wondrous mechanical inventions of a Watt-sink into

comparative insignificance in point of utility and practical benefit to mankind."--As the two leading medical men of Dublin, Dr Marsh and Mr Richard Carmichael, are avowed phrenologists, it is natural to look for a considerable number of converts among their professional brethren and fellow-citizens. GERMANY.-The following is translated from a review of Dr Hirschfeld's German translation of Mr Combe's System of Phrenology, in the Medicinische Zeitung, No. 10, 1834. The writer is Professor Ideler, physician to the great Hospital for the Insane at Berlin.-"We certainly will not say that the phrenologists have succeeded in determining every individual faculty, or that they have entirely avoided mistakes; but the defects in their science will easily be remedied by its further progress, and in no degree affect its spirit. It already offers a treasure of well-founded reflections on the formation of individual characters by predominating faculties of the mind, and on the means by which these are excited, directed, and restrained. Since no system of mental philosophy can be of any practical utility where individual peculiarities are neglected for the general consideration of the faculties of the mind, it is beyond all doubt that a doctrine which reduces the study of difference of character to scientific principles, must be welcome to us. Combe's work gives a clear, well-arranged, and compendious account of Phrenology, and is therefore well adapted to direct the attention of psychologists on this subject.”

UNITED STATES.-The first number of the American Annals of Phrenology appeared at Boston in October 1833, but, owing to some miscarriage, has only now reached us. It contains a vehement outpouring of Dr Caldwell's logic and indignation upon the North American Reviewer, whom it utterly and irretrievably annihilates. Dr C. has lately published at Boston a Discourse on Physical Education, a copy of which we are expecting with much interest. The subject is one to which few are so well qualified to do justice. His vigorous "Thoughts on the Study of the Greek and Latin Languages" (reprinted from the New England Magazine,) have been received. We have never seen Classical Learning more ably exposed.

Our American correspondents are requested to observe, that small parcels transmitted to Britain ought to contain no letters; as such parcels are occasionally put into the ship's letter-bag, and hence are charged with a very high postage. Letters, in cases of this sort, should be sent separately by post; and the words "To be put into the ship's parcel bag" ought to be written on the parcel. It is ruinous to us to receive double letters by the Post-Office from abroad, and we beg our correspondents to bear this in mind.

MADRAS SYSTEM OF EDUCATION.-On this subject a correspondent has sent us the following observations, suggested by an article in our last number:-"Give me leave to make a remark upon what is said in the review of Mr Simpson's work on Education, respecting priority of promulgation by Bell and Lancaster. Bell has the merit of being the first European, as far as I know, who adopted the Hindostanee mode of teaching-but, both in conversation and in such of his tracts as I have seen, he cautiously used the word discovery not invention. Speaking phrenologically, I would say, that his Acquisitiveness and Love of Approbation induced him to wish that the world would give him credit for what his Conscientiousness would not allow him decidedly to claim. In India, the teacher seats himself upon the ground; his pupils are squatted before him in a semicircle, each with a bit of chalk in his hand; and when he enunciates a letter or word, each of the scholars pronounces and writes it upon the floor, which is smoothed like the floor of a barn-consequently the eyes, ears, tongues and hands of all are employedhence, speaking, reading and writing are simultaneously acquired, and each lesson is effaced with the palms of the hands, and rewritten and pronounced, till facility and correctness be acquired.

"Lancaster, having heard that, in India, poverty or economy had suggested the use of sand in place of paper and slates, persevered for some time most preposterously in covering his tables with wet sand! Which of his phrenological organs was at fault?-Your obedient, R. S."

Our correspondent does not allude to the method of teaching by monitors, which is the grand distinctive feature of Dr Bell's system, and which we believe to have been strictly invented by him, not borrowed from the Hindoos.

HANWELL LUNATIC ASYLUM.-In our last number, we copied from the Athenæum an account of a visit to this Asylum by a scientific gentleman in England, in which reference was made to a description of the same establishment in Tait's Magazine, by Miss H. Martineau. Having ourselves visited Hanwell, we intended to have then offered some remarks of our own, but want of time prevented us. We now refer to the subject for the purpose of adding, that while Miss Martineau does no more than justice to Hanwell, she underrates the advance made in other asylums throughout the country, and speaks of them as if they were all in the same dreary and prison-like condi. tion in which they existed twenty or thirty years ago. This is so far unjust, that some have complained of the injury done them. Generally speaking, an immense improvement has taken place. We pointed out the error at the time to some of Miss Martineau's friends, and had determined to correct it, but it was somehow overlooked. We know one instance, however, of a public establishment, to which even the worst of her censure was then far from being inapplicable.

A FIELD FOR PHRENOLOGISTS IN SWITZERLAND." At the site of the cemetery of Zug is a Golgotha, where are thousands of skulls piled upon one another, each with a label bearing the name of the owner. What a field this for the Phrenologist! And with such advantages, what a blaze of light would be thrown upon the science by the establishment of a Phrenological Society at Zug !"- Switzerland, &c. in 1830, by Derwent Conway, vol. i. p. 49. (The foregoing statement is not perfectly accurate; for comparatively few of the skulls have labels on them.)

ORGAN OF FORM.-The following paragraph, which bears to be extracted from the Chester Courant, fell several months ago under our notice. If the case be authentic, it deserves the attention of the Liverpool phrenologists. Supposing the brain to be healthy, the manifestations are those of a large organ of Form." The celebrated child, Wm. Manual, who is able, at the age of 34 years, to read with fluency either Welsh or English placed before him in the usual or in an inverted position, on Monday was brought to our office, by his father, who is a miner from Holywell, and with much ease read passages from books in four different positions; but he appears to prefer reading upside down. His father stated that his attention was first attracted by the reading of this singularly gifted child when only two years of age, and he has continued to make progress to the present period without any particular instruction, not having been at school a single day. He is a fine child, the picture of good health. During the past week he has been examined by the Bishop of the diocese and most of the gentry in the neighbourhood, who have all expressed their astonishment and pleasure. It is sometimes with difficulty he is persuaded to read, as he takes great delight in running about: but when his reluctance is overcome he appears to read with great avidity." See an analogous case in our 34th number, vol. viii. p. 65.

Reviews of Abbot's "Teacher" and Mr Dean's "Lectures on Phrenology," with several other articles intended for this number, are unavoidably postponed. We have not yet succeeded in adapting Mr Hun's excellent essay for publication in our not exclusively medical Journal. The letter of a "Phrenologist" in Paris, relative to Dr Foissac's article on General Lamarque in the fifth number of the Journal of the Phrenological Society of that city, would not be intelligible to any but those who have read the article alluded to. The writer thinks that the Doctor "has shewn too much nationality and party spirit," and that "some parts of the General's life are far from favourable to Conscientiousness."--We have in types a notice of "Chambers's Informa tion for the People, No. 45," where Phrenology is treated with great candour; also a short article about Rammohun Roy.

EDINBURGH, 1st December 1834.

THE

PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

No. XLIII.

ARTICLE I.

REASONS FOR CONCLUDING THAT THE FUNCTION ATTRIBUTED TO A FACULTY FOR MECHANICAL RESISTANCE, IS TWOFOLD, VIZ.—THE FUNCTION OF AN EXTERNAL SENSE FOR RESISTANCE, AND OF AN INTERNAL FACULTY FOR FORCE.

(TO THE EDITOR.)

SIR, Ten years ago I attempted a speculation upon the fundamental function of the faculty for mechanical Resistance, or, as it was then, and frequently still is, called, Weight; and three years thereafter was led to resume it, in consequence of the light thrown upon it by a then recent physiological discovery. Occasional short papers have appeared in the Phrenological Journal, with facts and illustrations, contributed from different quarters, confirmatory of the same views; so that the doctrine has been noticed in seven of the nine volumes which the work has reached.* I am now induced to revert to the subject, from a conviction that I have arrived at clearer views, with regard to both the function and its material instruments, than at either period alluded to I had attained. If truth shall be traced out with regard to this element of mind, Phrenology will have held the torch and explored the path; and really, at least beneficially, discovered a power, although essential to animal existence, previously all but unsuspected and unknown. A few words on the successive steps of this inquiry are here called for.

* Vol. ii. pages 297, 412, 645; iii. 211, 451; iv. 266, 314; v. 222; vi. 134, 343; vii. 106; ix. 142.

VOL. IX.NO. XLIII.

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