The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-19 00:00:00

PHRF:WO LOGY.

On Thurstlae evening last, the fourteenth lecture, at the Crown
and Anchor Tavern, on the science of Phrenology, was delivered
by Dr. Spurzheim. The Professor commenced by observing. that
in the previous lecture he had considered the connexion which
this -science had with the pursuits of agisti. On the present oc.
cession he should consider its connexion with philosophy. All
the progress yet made io the study or of psychology gas the dis.
rovery of a few simple ideas relative to the effects of the powers
of the mind, and their general modes of Amami. This was ab.
solutely all that had been accomplished, for he would demon.
"trate that what metaphysicians had called and considered powers,
were really but the effects of powers and their modes of action.
It would be his business, in the present lecture, to prove the
consistency between the true philoaopt y of the mind and the
doctrines of phrenology. According to the old sstem, the mind
was said to be composed of two principal faculties, the under_
standing and the will To the latter was referred every degree of
desire, from the very' lowest•to the very highest: every mote.
ment of desire was represented to proceed from the will. But
this supposed faculty of thewill obviously led to the strangest in-
cnnoistencies and absordides. Suppose a man felt 'hungry, but
was restrained from indulging his appetite by the advice of his
physician. In this ease, one act of the will countervailed another
act of the will: the desire to est existed, and yet the individual
would not. Could this be the operation of a fundamental power
of the mind ? or was it necessary. under these circumstances, to
speak of a good will and a bad will ? Such a system of philosophy
could not be useful in practical life, and could only lead to error
in scientific theory. Sometimes men willed with and monetimes
without reflection. Desire, or will, -.• Ls the effect of the indivi-
dual powers, and by having considered them separately, the au-
ditory understood why the will manifested itsso variously.
There were, in fact, as maim different sorts of deaires as there
were distinct fundamental powers, and 35 of them had been &s-
-een:tints% A great deal was said of the influence of Pleasure
and Pain. The question was, whether any primitive power ex.
nand 'which corresponded with these ideas? Learning was to most
chddrcni a troublesome and disagreeahle process, but some
advanced- in knowledge rapidly. They learned because they
were amused; but in these children there wan great difference
in the direction in which they applied their faculties. One child
was delighted with the mathematics, another with mechanics, a
third with languages. What was pleasant to one was disgusting
to another. Ploptire, then, was clearly po power of thy mind, but
the result of the gratification of some poser," and the kinds
pleasure were consequently as various as the number of the
.powers.
Desire consisted in the activity of the powers, and pleasure In their
gratification. Some persona could not cone:sive how others could
be indifferent to what tleiigidt i'them ; but no idea could be mere,
erroneous than that what was V7caz* to one must be agreeable to
all. Those who had the inferior powers in greater size, could not
imagine how others could take delight in the pleasures resulting
form the gratification of the superior powers, and those individual,
in whom the latter preponderate.: could riot endure the low and
grovelling pleasures by which the interior mowers were gratified.
Much had been taught as to the impormoce of possessing the
faculty of attention; and all philosophers dwelt with earnest-
ness on the necessity of improving this supposed power. In the
schools nothing could be attained without attention. But it seas
observed that some individuals were attentive to some objects and
not to ethers. In children this difference was even more remark-
able. Let the experiment be tried of repeating a number of once-
dotes to a mixed audience. Probably all of them would be atten-
tive. Story-telling was generally agreeable; but let the speaker
begin to reason on whet he had related, immediately the differ-
: enrc would be perceived. Many individuals would be soon fatigued
of severe reasoning, while a low, perhaps, would listen to it with
pleasure. A man fond of mathematic, would fall asleep when
plailoomphy was discussed. If attention wens fundamental power
it would be equally directed to all objects. But there were as
many sorts of attention as there were intellectual powers. No
doubt there existed in nature what was called attention, but it was
no fundamental power of the mind. It was merely the result of a
certain degree of excitement. According to the metaphysician',
the reflections of the mind were fundamental powers. But the
language of phrenology was quite different. No doubt the power,
of the mind were variously affected, but the affections themselves
were not powers. There was no power of anger or pain, or tickling ;
these were but modifications, or, as they were properly called,
affections of the powers or senses. These might be affected in
many ways, more or lets agreeable, or otherwise ; but it was a
gross mistake to confound the modes of action with the powers
themselves. Anger might be considered a joint modification of
combativeness and destructiveness. Fear was only cautiousness in
excess; and in thin manner some affections resulted from indivi-
dual powers, and some from their combination. Compassion pro-
ceeded from the power of benevolence ; sod remorse from that of
conscientiousness. The Professor gave many other illustrations of
this part of the phrenological system. He distinguished the affec-
tions from the passions. The latter was only said to exist when
the activity of each power was carried to the highest degree. lie
complained that the language of the old philosophy was extremely
vague. He was anxious that the affections might not be con.
founded with the passions. As soon as a power became so active
that it could not be controlled by reason, it arrived at that state
in which it was properly called passion. This state was common in
the inferior powers; and it sometimes happened to the superior ones.
Religion was carried to excess of fanaticism. In some the extraordi-
nary developinerit of the organ of tune made them passionate musi.
cians. Others had the organ of constructiveness exceedingly large,
and they ruined their families by their excessive passion for building.
The Professor then macteded to consider the nature of intellect.
According to the metaphysicians, it consisted of memory, judg-
ment, and imagination. That such modifications existed he did
not deity. The question was, whether they were fundamental
powers. Memory was of many different kinds. If it were a fun.
dementia power, it would be equally applied to all external objects.
Sonic persons could remember all the fact; related to them, but
none of toe names or dates. Some children could learn nothing
by heart. but they could remcmher all they saw. Memory, then,
could be no fundamentol power et' the mind. What, then, was it ?
This was the question to be considered. The intellectual faculties
would become so active that they reproduced the objects they be-
fore knew. This was what was called tnemory. It was only a
higher degree of activity in the fun-iamental powers, but no funda-
mental power itself. The feelings had no memory. They could
not reproduce the sensation they had experienced. Memory was
on attribute of all the intellectual faculties; but it was more or
lam strong in peculiar powers. This circumstance accounted for
the differences that were found in every mind, with regard to the
function of memory. Unless the phrenological system were wholly
untrue, the current philosophy of the human mind must undergo
a complete change. The supposed faculties existed, but they were
only the modes of action, and not the fundamental power. Imagi.
nation had bees called the power of invention. The composition
of verses, music, and mathenuttical problems, were all ascrined to
this faculty of imagination. But lie asked, could the composer
of music therefore construct machines or write poetry ? Certainly
not. Intaginstion then was no fundamental power, but only the
highest degree of activity of each power. Some men had great
imagination lu one respect and none in another. This difference
was explained by the phrenological doctrine of separate powers ;
but it was utterly tmaccountable on any other system. Was judg-
ment then a fundamental power? Some were good judges of
painting an i not of music • some of mathematics and not of phi-
losophy. There was gteat'difilculty attending this part of the sub-
icet. In his opinion all the fundamental powers were submitted to
determinate laws, and accordingly as they conformed to these laws
they acted perfectly or imperfectly. Every sense had its laws ; and
as it adhered to them it was considered to be in a sound or healthy
state. If the stomach performed its functions properly the digestion
was said to go on well. Every form was not equally beautiful. It
was deemed fine in proportion to the agreement between the ester-
cal object and the internal power. The same faculty was, as ap.
plied to some things, called taste ; r.nd, as applied to others, judo.
cent. !name individuals the power were active. bat not correctly
active. Not every one who had a good appetite had a goad
digestion. There wcie as many several abilities of judgment,
as there were fundamental powers of mind. Each poser
judged for itself. If the reflecting powers operated rightly, the in-
dividual was said to have a philosophical judgment. But judg-
ment half was no fundamental power, but merely the perfect ac-
tion of the powers. 'f 1 e doctrine of Association was much dwet
upon by the metaphysicians. Was there then a power of associa-
tion ?—Certainly not. Al! that was meant by it was, the activity
of the powers associated. One excited another. In some children,
tear led them to make exertion ; and thus the faculties were stimu-
lated to labour. After some further general remarks, the Professor
observed, that the next step he had to make was, to an important
branch of philosophy,—the mutual influence of the powers. lie
had passed through the powers separately considered, their expres-
sion or natural language, roiti their modes of activity. The next
Lecture would open a wide field of study. The powers tomer acted
alone ; they were always in combined operation, end the nature of
that combination would form the next subject of consideration.
The Professor is delivering another course of Lectures at Willis's
Booms, but these continue to be attended by a very numerous and
respectable audience.

The choice pictures and furniture, together with the
wine of the Duke of York, have been removing from York
House for the last fortnight. The remainder of the furni-
ture, stained glass windows, porcelain, Src. and other pro-
perty, are to be sold by auction. Yesterday York House
was opened fur the purpose of showing the property, but
no person was admitted to view the articles without paying
three shillings for a catalogue.
A public meeting is shortly to be held at Plymouth,
for the purpose of forming a Met!unlics' Institution in that
town.

The United Mexican Mining Company rec.:ived a letter
last week from Mr. Almon, the new hlinister, in which
he expresses his decided opinion that the Mexican Govern-
ment will not press the measure of imposing a high duty
on gold and silver, and that he is induced to give this
opinion from his conviction that the new Republic ought
to encourage the introduction of foreign capital into the
country, which the levying of a higher rate of duty on
silver and gold would have the direct effect of counter-
acting.
The Etoile foolishly announces, as something important,
that a Sergeant of Voitigrun, named John George Napo-
leon, intends to apply for permission to substitute fur Lis
name of Napoleoo, that of Lapierre, by Which be has bees
known since he entered the sm.:cc.