pleased with them. They like to see the uniform appearance, the straight line, the simultaneous movement. They like to feel the operation of systém, and to realize, while they are in the school-room, that they form la community, governed by fixed. and steady laws, firmly but pleasantly administered.. On the, other hand, laxity of discipline, and the disorder which will result from it, will only lead the pupils to despise their teacher, and to hate their school."ew aptol ort-- my

Mr Abbott strongly insists on the necessity of conducting the. business of schools in a systematic manner. Instead, says he, of vainly attempting to attend simultaneously to a dozen things, teachers should so plan their work, that only one will demand attention During the winter months, while the principal common schools in our country are in operation, it is sad to reflect how many teachers come home, every evening, with bewildered and aching heads, having been vainly trying all the day to do six things at a time, while He who made the human mind has determined that it shall do but one... How many, become discouraged and disheartened by what they consider the unavoidable trials of a teacher's life, and give up in despair, just because. their faculties will not sustain a six-fold task. There are multitudes who, in early life, attempted teaching, and, after having been worried, almost to distraction, by the simultaneous pressure of these multifarious cares, gave up the employment in disgust, and for ever after wonder how any body can like teaching. I know multitudes of persons to whom the above description will exactly apply."

Some excellent remarks on the subject of themes or essays written by boys, well deserve to be quoted:-"There is no branch of study attended to in school, which may, by judicious efforts, be made more effectual in accomplishing this object,-leading the pupils to see the practical utility and the value of knowledge, than composition. If such subjects as are suitable themes for moral essays are assigned, the scho lars will indeed dislike the work of writing, and derive little benefit from it. The mass of pupils in our schools are not to be writers of moral essays or orations, and they do not need to form that style of empty, florid, verbose declamation, which the prac tice of writing composition in our schools, as it is too frequently managed, tends to form. Assign practical subjects-subjects relating to the business of the school, or the events taking place around you. Is there a question before the community on the subject of the location of a new school-house? Assign it to your pupils, as a question for discussion, and direct them not to write empty declamation, but to obtain from their parents the real arguments in the case, and to present them, distinctly and clear

VOL. IX.-NO, XLIII.

R

ly, and in siniple language, to their companions. Was a building burnt by lightning in the neighbourhood? Let those who

saw the scene describe it; the that cles to be read by the

teacher aloud; and let them see that clear descriptions please, and that good legible writing can be read fluently, and that correct spelling and punctuation and grammar, make the afticlé g go smoothly and pleasantly, and enable it to produce its full effect. Is a public building going forward in the neighbourhood of your school? You can make it a very fruitful source of subjects and questions, to give interest and impulse to the studies of the school-room. Your classes in geometry may measure-your arithmeticians may calculate and make estimates-your writers. may describe its progress from week to week, and anticipate the scenes which it will in future years exhibit."

ப

The following short sentence embodies an important truth. "A class should go on slowly, and dwell on details, so long as to fix firmly, and make perfectly familiar, whatever they undertake to learn. In this manner, the knowledge they acquire will become their own. It will be incorporated, as it were, into their very minds, and they cannot afterwards be deprived of it."

Mr Abbott offers to teachers an advice, of which they-and, we may add, clergymen too-frequently stand much in need. "The teacher should guard against unnecessarily imbibing those faulty mental habits to which his station and employment expose him. Accustomed to command, and to hold intercourse with minds which are immature and feeble compared with our own, we gradually acquire habits, that the rough collisions and the friction of active life prevent from gathering around other men. Narrow-minded prejudices and prepossessions are imbibed, through the facility with which, in our own little community, we adopt and maintain opinions. A too strong confidence in our own views on every subject, almost inevitably comes, from never hearing our opinions contradicted or called in question;, and we express those opinions in a tone of authority, and even sometimes of arrogance, which we acquire in the school-room for there, when we speak, nobody can reply."

A great proportion of Mr Abbott's work is occupied with a detailed description of the management of his school; and hence it is hardly susceptible of abridgement. Instead, therefore, of attempting to give an abstract of it, we have preferred to lay before the reader a few detached passages on subjects of importance in every system of education. These extracts at once furnish a specimen of the author's style of writing and thinking, and embody ideas and facts well deserving to be recorded in the pages of a Journal having for its chief object the elucidation and improvement of human nature. By reprinting the work in England, Dr Mayo has performed good service to the British public.

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ARTICLE VII.

PHYSIOLOGIE DE L'HOMME ALIENÉ APPLIQUÉE À L'ANALYSE DE L'HOMME SOCIAL. Par SCIPION PINEL, &c. Paris, 1833

THE name of PINEL is associated throughout the civilized world with the humane method of treatment now so generally employed in the management of the insane. When the father of the present author was first appointed to the charge of the Salpétrière in the neighbourhood of Paris, the insane were treated there, as every where else, with a harshness, severity, and neglect, which rendered an asylum the abode of terror and misery, and which accounted perfectly for the horror which is still so generally felt at the very notion of a place of confinement.1

No sooner had Pinel time to study the actual state of mind of the unhappy inmates, and to observe the irritating and hurtful consequences of severity, than he set himself to improve their condition, by treating them with kindness, and soothing their morbid feelings by every means in his power. He reformed the whole system of discipline, and substituted watchful attention on the part of the attendants for the chains and seclusion in which alone security had previously been sought. He introduced order, cleanliness, and comfort, where nothing but suffering and confusion were formerly known. The consequences were surprising. Tranquillity prevailed among the patients to an extent far exceeding all past experience; while recoveries became more rapid, and more numerous.

Having accomplished so much, Pinel announced to the world the principles which had guided him, and the success which had attended his efforts. Backed by results so decisive, and by the extensive opportunities which he enjoyed, he spoke with an authority which prejudice could not long withstand, and with a philanthropic eloquence not less convincing to the reason than cheering to the best feelings of human nature. And from the extensive circulation and influence of his work throughout Europe and America, it cannot be doubted, that to Pinel is, in a great measure, due the beneficent impulse which has already materially alleviated the sufferings of thousands, and which promises ere long to render insanity a much less terrible affliction than it has been in times past. Pinel, in short, was a notable instance of the advantage of placing at the head of a large public establishment a man fully qualified for the situation, and capable of availing himself of the opportunities afforded for add ing to the stock of human knowledge and thereby to the sum

of human happiness. Had an ordinary routine physician been appointed in his place, the same abuses might have continued unabated for years, and no suspicion have ever crossed his mind that the system was susceptible of the smallest improvement. How few, accordingly,-how very few are there, among the numerous establishments of Europe, whose physicians have done any thing to advance our knowledge of insanity, or even given to the world any record of their principles, practice, or experience! Many golden opportunities are thus lost for ever; but the day is approaching, when a more active and enlightened zeal will hasten to remove the reproach.

After this preface, we need hardly say, that the name of Pinel on the title-page of the above work gave us a sanguine expectation of finding the son carrying on the labours of his lamented parent, and contributing a fresh stock of information. on this most interesting subject. Nor have we been deceived. We miss occasionally the perfect sobriety of judgment and solidity of matter which distinguished the father; but we recognise the same acute observation, glowing benevolence, and scientific zeal, which characterized him; combined, indeed, as is quite natural, with a more youthful and ardent imagination. These, however, are defects which the lapse of time and further experience will not fail to remove.

We intended to notice the present work at greater length; but, owing to want of room, must content ourselves with offering a strong recommendation to its able author, to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the facts and evidences of Phrenology; as we feel assured that it will enable him to give additional force and precision to his views, and to explain satisfactorily a variety of phenomena, which will otherwise seem perplexing and contradictory. His liberality, intelligence, and candour, lead us to believe, that conviction of the truth and value of Phrenology will follow his study of its doctrines; and we feel persuaded, that, with its assistance, he would not only do greater justice to his own talents, but add much to the practical value of his work. In the hope that a second edition, thus amended, may make its carly appearance, we leave him at present with our best wishes.

ARTICLE VIII.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MANCHESTER PHRENOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

SIR, I am directed to make the following communication to you respecting the Manchester Phrenological Society's proceedings since the last report inserted in the Journal :

3d June 1834.-Mr James Edmondson read a paper on the character and development of Burns the poet; which led to an animated discussion at this and the ensuing meeting.

10th June.-Mr Bally introduced Mr Ditchfield, a resident of Paris, who visited this country mainly for the purpose of estimating the progress of Phrenology, with the view of reporting on the subject to its advocates in Paris. He was unanimously elected a corresponding member.

2d July. The president, Mr Wilson, read a paper on idiocy, peculiarly referring to the case of the Salford idiot, as published in the last Journal.

5th August.-Mr A. Prentice suggested for discussion the question, "How far are the principles adopted in infant school education consonant with those of Phrenology ?" In the course of his observations on this question, Mr P. entered into the description of the mode adopted generally in infant schools in the neighbourhood, in the founding of several of which he has been mainly instrumental. A long discussion arose upon the question, particularly as to the liability of the faculties to fatigue, and the great necessity of peculiar regard to avoiding an over exercise of them during infancy.

23d September.-A paper was read by Mr Edmondson "on the practice of taking developments"-deprecating the course adopted by some Phrenologists in pursuing almost indiscriminate manipulation of heads, and the prediction of character therefrom-a practice which, owing to a due regard not always being had to the whole relative conditions, he considered calculated to do injury to Phrenology, and so tending to impede its progress, by increasing the prejudices already too general against it.

14th October. Mr Bally laid upon the table ten casts of different sections of the brain, as exhibited in the course of its dissection, according to the plan of Dr Spurzheim. The casts are beautifully executed, and are coloured and finished so as to constitute an invaluable substitute for the real brain in the illustration of cerebral anatomy. Mr Bally also displayed and dissected the brain of a sheep; upon which, in connection with the above-mentioned casts, he proceeded to give a series of observations on the anatomy of the brain, and to point out the correspondencies of the sheep's and the human brain. His remarks and dissection elicited the warmest thanks of the Society, and subsequently the set of casts of the brain was purchased and added to the Society's collection. The subject of the anatomy of the brain was continued at three subsequent meetings by Mr D. Noble and Mr Bally.

21st October.-Mr James Edmondson read a paper on the character of the natives of Loo-Choo, as described by Captain