The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-15 00:00:00

PHRENOLOGY.

On Tuesday evening Dr. Spursheim delivered his thirteenth lec-
ture on the science of Phrenology, at the Crown and Anchor Ta-
vern. On this occasion he treated of the mutual influence of the
faculties of the mind ; and in entering on this part of his subject,
it was important to observe, that the phrenological organs had not
been discovered in the philosophical order in which he had stated
them in hot lectures; and it was a strong corroboration of the truth
'f the plirenolog'eal system, that all the propensities common to
men and animals were seated in the posterior portion of the brain
those peculiar to man were in the frontal and upper region. It was
remarkable slam that those which were necessary to assist each other
in their functions were placed in each otte'r's neighbonrltund.
Another observation was important as to the size of the organs.
Their dimensions were not arbitrarily assigned to them by the pro-
I fessors of hrenology. They differed naturally in size. All that
the phrenologist did was to discover the size of each organ as nature
bad determined it. The same organ was very different in size in
different. indirkluale ; and the reason was, because the sphere of
their activity was different in each person. Sonic faculties took the
lead,
.and the rest, feebler in
_power and smaller in development,
acted in subjection to them. 7'he fact that certain powers were at-
tached to partienlar parts of the cerebral mass, was disco-
erred by observation. Reason alone could not have indicated the
respective organ, of thebrain any more than it could divine in a corpse
the purposes to which the viscera were appropriated. if nothing was
known of the actions of the living body. Observation only could
ascertain which parts of the cerebral mass were the organs of the
faculties. As the student advanced in his knowledge of phrenology
he would perceive and understand its usefulness. The Professor
teminded the auditory that in his first lecture he had remarked that
it was impossible to explain the utility of any branch of 'wiener:
until the party to whom the explanation was to be given had made
himself master of the subject. First it was necessary to know the
thing ; its application might then be understood, but certainly not
till then. The utility of phrenology to artists who had to represent
nature was obvious. One of the doctrine-3 of this science was, that
the rest of the head was as modified in its appearance as the fare.
He had shown by a drawing of the human head, that by leaving
the face theaante,inall is features, and nhangiog. ate back owe,
how different would be the result in the appearance of the whole.
It became therefore important that artists should stud• the con-
figuration if the head generally. What opinion then should be
entertainedof those artists who gave the same conformation of head
to all their portraits ? Yet this was very common, and with men
who fancied themselves skilled in their profession, but wbo, unfor-
tunately for themselves, knew nothing of phre ,ology. The
Professor then observed, that the next step in the science
would lead them into a region of entire novelty t it related
to the direct application of physiognomy to the purposes
of common life. The principles of physiognomy were by some
denied, by others admitted, but by very row understood.
To a certain extent all persons were physiognomisrs. Children, and
even animals, judged much by the expression of the countenance.
A dog always looked at the face, and especially at the eyes, of the
person who spoke to hint. Whatever might be the nature of the
artificial language addressed to him, the dog judged by the move.
ments of thecotintenance. If the experiment were tried of scolding
a dog in our artificial speech, while the face betrayed no emotions
of anger, the dog would perhaps be for a moment puzzled by the
contrast between the tone and the countenanee, but lie would rely
upon the latter as the more certain indication of feeling. In the
same meaner children always looked in the face of their parents
and tutors, to ascertain whether the sentiments they uttered were
true. This expression of the countenance the Prole/woe styled
natural language, in contradistinction to the sounds of the voice,
which he te=nted artificial language. By the latter we communi-
cated what passed internally, by signs artificially invented for that
purpose. Natural language belonged to all existent animals, as
soon as any9ower of the mind was active ; it was indicated by ex-
ternal signs dictated by nature. Before a further advance was made
it was necessary to settle the meaning of the word physiognomy.
Etymologically considered, it was a compound Greek term, signify-
ing the knowledge of nature. It was commonly defined to be the
doctrine of internal qualities by extern:ll signs. By most writers it
was divided into two parts. Lavater, in what he properly celled his
fragmenta of this science, considered his subject as essentially COT.
posed of the two branches of physiognomy and pathognomy. The
former related to the configuration of the solid parts—the latter to
the motion of the soft parts. This distinction had been made by
very ancient writers, but still it had not been sufficiently attended
to. Lavater often confounded the appearances that depended on
motion, with those which depended solely on configurat.on. The
reason was that be had established no principle to guide his obser-
vations of nature. Lavater certainly possessed a hoe tact, and read
the characters of mankind with great facility, but he had no prin-
ciple of judgment. The question then was, whether any principle
could be clearly established. If it could, it would be highly im-
portsun to actors and artists, and all whose pleasure or avocations
engaged them in the imitation of nature. Those persons, however,
generally denied that any such principle existed. It was their opi-
nion that this power of disci...illation must be naturally possessel,
and that no rules could teach It. "If we feel we haves it," they
maid, "we are sure to sneered—if not we, must fall." There were
some persons in ordinary life who had a keen and penetrating judg-
ment with respect to those with whom they came into con-
tact. Some actors performed one line of characters excel-
lently, and failed in all others. The question was then, he re-
peated, whether it was possible to establish rules of natural action ?
He believed that all the works of the Creator were according to
allimi—isstileogyoriett unsettled. —Wows true that some
individuals had such a clear and delicate perception of the agree-
ment of things, that formal rules were not necessary to guide them.
Some persons knew at once what colours would assort together, and
In music what tones would b. in concord. Some could reason per-
fectly without any assistance from logic. But for all individuals
of ordinary talent, rules were necessary. Ile was speaking of prin-
ciples; and again lie would remark. they could not be created or in-
vented ; they could only be perceived or discovered. Two and two
were four, long before any mathematical knowledge existed in the
world. Those who had the organ of Imitation largely developed,
could easily read the character of others ; but to those who had not
much of this faculty, principles must be given for their assistance.
In the oldest writers, passages might be found which showed
that they bad perceived the existence of natural language. Many
traces of it were in the works of Solomon, Aristotle, and Cicero ; yet
not ore principle had been established with respect to it. The
reason was, that the fundamental powers of the mind were not
known. As soon as they were ascertained, the basis was laid for
erecting the principles of natural language. The fancies of mere
physiognomists vanished before the science of phrenology. No
longer was the attention directed to the shape of the head, to deter-
mine whether the individual had the power of comparison ; or the
length of the fingers, to judge whether he had the sentiment of be.
nevolence ; or the tuna of the nose, to decide whether he had the
faculty of wit. In physiognomy there were several external signs
to manifest one power. and they sometimes were all wanting in an
individual who 'possessed it; but in phrenology the same organ
was constantly appropriated to the same power, and its develop-
ment always corresponded with the activity of the faculty. Nature
was infinite in her modificatiuns, but fixed in her principles. For
that reason he denied that physiognomy could indicate the talents
and character of individuals. It was necessary to go to the parts
where the powers resided. The internal powers manifested them-
selves externally by the five senses, and the faculty of voluntary
motion. Every action was the result of the powers of the mind ;
and therefore it was by the actions of each individual that
the state of activity of his powers could be ascertained.—
Suppose the organ of Self-esteem was largely developed.
how could it be known whether that power was active ?
By the natural language of the individual. By the
i development
merely, it was known whether he was more or less deposedosn that
direction; tut by his actions, the degree of activity in the power
could be known at once. The powers being destined to act, em-
ploy ed the instruments necessary to action, and in that way action
took place. Let the productions of nature and art be subjected to
the application of this principle, in order to. determine them con-
formity. The Professor then displayed a cast of the fighting
Gladiator, which, in the Catalogue of the Louvre, was described as
being in a position admirably calculated to tight. But it eras evi-
dent on examination, that if that was the design of the artist, that
his statue etas contrary to the first natural law of expression. The
same remark was applicable to the Apollo Belvidere. It wan
said that the God was watching the et net of the arrow he had just
d *charged against the serpent Python. But those who bad seen
archers (as tote Profosar had. at Ldinburgh) would never see one
stand in such au attitude to observe the flight of their arrows : the
left arm would drop instantly. No artist had better understood the
laws of natural language than Haph.aeL To shake hands was not
an action dictated by nature; but the mode of perforating it would
enable any observer to decide whether the ftiendship between the
parties was active. In sincere friends, die power of attachment
went, as it were, through their very fingers. :Bore confidence should
be reposed in natural than in artificial language. The seco:.<l law
of natural language was, that not only the parts
. necessary to the
action would be called into exercise, but amular parts r.lso that
were not necessary ; and the third, that there would be a perfect
harmony in all the parts in the expression of the natural language.
These principles the Professor illustrated by referenco to many
works of nature and art, and concluded his address by repeating,
that the modifications of nature were infinite, but her principles im-
mutable.

Barristr MoNtron.—The Copyright of the British
Monitor ( for many years conducted by Lewis Goldsmith) has been
sold to the proprie.ers of the English Gentkneon, who present their
most respectful compliments to the friends, connections, and cor-
respondents of the former paper, and, though unwilling to make
useless professions, they may at the SOW time be allowed to ex-
press a hope that in the English Gentlemen will always be found a
" British Monitor." No pains, no anxiety, and no sincerity shall
be wanting to ensure the superiority of the present pliblication.
Price ;it —Office of the Engles!, Gentleman, No. 7,llrydges-street,
Covent-garden. Ord.ys are received by all newsrenders and clerks
of the road'. At the sante Office is also published, the " News of
Literature and Fashion," by E. D. Pouchee.
Charlotte S.'o: le, alias l'eck, who was convicted of steal-
ing Rogera's child, cf floosie, died on Sunday morning, in York
Castle. An Inquest was held on the body on Alontlay, and a
veniict returred—" Died by the visitation of God." It appeared
she had been i!1 es,: since her trial.
I)ut:.nbrFiztE.—Sunday morning, a little after two
o'clock, the extensivc lace nounufuctoty belonging to Alessrs. Rice
and Orstn, at Chard, was totally destroyed be tire. The lowest
estimate on the loss is computed at 70,01.10/. The watchman em-
ployed by the Prop' ictors to walls over the rooms was discovered
fast asleep w:iiist the I:re was blazing around hint. The premises
wer: Masted tor 3,6001. but whether any part of the valuable ma-
chinery has bee., ,overed by any insurance we have not yet ascot.
faire!. By lir: o'clock the whole of the prrnises were burnt.

THE BRITISH PP 1? u-x'

THE IRISH CHURCH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.

SlR,—Amongst the tribe of daily papers, which misinform quite
as much as they inform the public, I think I have discovered in
the Briiish Peers symptoms of candour and raj:fleas, which lead
me to believe that it will at all times be open to receive and
to communicate the truth. Under this persuasion, I request you
to insert a brief refutation of one of the numerous calumnies with
which the Morning .Chronicle, from time to time, assails the
Established Church :it occurs in the paper of March 20. In order
to prove the enorm.-ss wealth of the Irish Bishops, it gives a
statement the lands attached to twelve of their Secs, e.n:ount-
ing, altogether, to somewhat m,oe than 600.000 acres. Now it
appears, from a return made to do' Mime of Commons last year,
that in nineteen of of the twenty-two Irish Dioceses the Episcopal
estates amount to 316,017 Irish acres of profitablb land ; and pro-
bably the whole amount will be about 618,000 Irish acres, pro-
fitable and unprofitable. From the manner in which these lands
are leased to lay tenants, the otarintum that a Bishop can receive
is one-fifth of what the lands are worth ; and it is well known
that the Bishops art virtually proprietors only of one-fifth of their
estates. It has been. proved by, the clearest evidence, and the
Editor of the Illormisag Chroniek Icrown it, tbat, with the exception
of the Primacy (and indeed It is probable even with that in-
cluded), the average of the Itish Bishoprics does not exceed
5.000/. per annum. I would earnelM, recommend the, readers
of the 3forning Chet:nick, who have any regent for the maxim of
andt alterom partem. to look tit the able and convincing 'meth
of the Bishop of Limerick on the third reading of-the Tithe &im-
position Bill. As to the enormous riches of the Irish Church,
we hare fortunately the very best evidence in the results of that
Bill. Taking the average of nearly 41.81 par:shes which have com-
pounded under its provisions, the annual income of the ;lacuna-
bents is about 298/. ; which, as it appears from come evidence
given before the !louse of Commons, is just about the income
which is proposed to be paid to a Roman Catholic Rector, with
1001. per annum additional, bit. his Curate : and Is, .moreover,
within& taour-d, the stipend wheal NA equalisers of Church re.
venues think o' allowing to each of the parochial clergy through-
out England : although we are tint told whence the funds are to
be drawn, the present income of the „English Church not being
more than sufficient to pay each clergyman 150/. per annum.
So much for the financial accuracy of the !Worming Chronicle:
then for its statistics. It descant, upon the unbounded wealth
of * Church which has only 500,003 members in the midst of
six millions of Roman Catholics." Whereas the fact is. as Mr.
Leslie Frorter•has shown, that the actual number of Roman
Catholics in Ireland is 4,930,000, and that of Protestants 1,1360,000,
of whom about 1,195,003 are of the Church of England. So that
the worthy and veracious controversialist of the Chronicle doubles
the money and halves the people of the Church. It is a bad cause
which must be bolstered up with falsehoods.
I ant, Sir, your obedient Servant,
• VERAX.