The Sun.
London, England, 1834-06-28 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

PHYSIOGNOMY, FOUNDED ON PHYSIO-
LOGY,
And applied to various Countries, Professions, and Jr •
dividuals : with an Appendix on the Bones, at Hyth,
the Skulls of the Ancient Inhabitants of Britain anc
its Invaders. By Alexander Walker, formerly Let •
hirer on Anatomy and Physiology at Edinburgh._
Smith, Elder and Co. 1834.

This is decidedly a clever book, full of original
conceptions on a subject which we had thought
quite exhausted. Though Mr. Walker has
availed himself of some of the best observations
contained in the anatomical and physiological
writings of Cuvier, Haller, Blumenbach, Lavater,
and Spurtzheim ; still there is nothing of the literary
cinder-sifter about him. He is an acute original
thinker, with prejudices too strong to allow him
always to judge impartially. There is through-
out the whole book a tone of reckless in-
dependence in the making of bold dnd start-
ling statements, which pleased us more than
a good deal. The author never once dreams
mankind can be angry, while he exposes with no
very refined touch the nakedness of their race, and,
consequently, never thinks about conciliating them.
The best of the book, however, is, that which has
the least relation to the science of which it professes
to treat—namely, the author's delineations of
national character. But here his prejudices carry
him too far ; for he evidently has overlooked some
of the best traits in the character of Frenchmen,
while the blemishes of the English are made to
originate in some cardinal virtue or other. Even
Englishmen themselves will hardly agree with him
in thinking that they are as much superior to the
people of \Vales, Scotland, and Ireland, as he
maintains they are. On the whole, the work is the
production of a vigorous intellect, with less of the
mawkishness of sentiment than Lavater, less
scientifical information than Spurzheim, and more
acute observation—more really useful knowledge—
' than both together. It is well got up, with an
abundance of beautiful illustrated engravings, and
is altogether a very handsome volume. We marked
a number of passages, which we intended giving as
specimens of the author's style, but are obliged to
content ourselves with the following, in the truth-
of which we heartily concur :
" To sum up this view of English Scottish and Irish
character, I may observe, that sincerity and independence
distinguish the English ; intelligence and sagacity the
Scottish ; and a gay gallant spirit, the Irish. The best
qualities, however, are apt to associate with bad ones. The
independence of the English sometimes degenerates into
coarseness and brutality ; the sagacity of the Scottish intocunning and time-serving ; and the gaiety of the Irish into
fickleness and faithlessness. Could we combine the inde-
pendence of the English with the sagacity of the Scottish,
and with the gallantry of the Irish, we should form almost
a God. Could we, on the contrary, unite the brutality of
the first, with the cunning of the second, and with the
faithlessness of the third, we should form a demon."

COURT OF KING'S BENCH-THIS DAY.

WOOD V. FLETCHER.
The parties in this case resided at Leeds. It was
an action brought by the plaintiff, an attorney, against
the widow of the defendant, a furniture-broker, for the
recovery of a bill of costs, amounting to 211. The de-
fendant's husband had died in the year 1827, and, as a
set off against the demand, it was alleged that several
articles of furniture, amounting in value to about 241.,
had been given by the defendant to the plaintiff in
consideration of the debt.
Mr. POLLOCK appeared for the plaintiff, and Sir
JAMES SCARLETT and Mr. KELLY for the defendant.
Several witnesses were examined to prove the deli-
very of goods to the plaintiff, to the amount stated ;
and others were called for the plaintiff, to prove that
the goods purchased did not amount to more than 6/.
or 6/. 10s. ; the evidence was of a very protracted and
contradictory nature.
Sir JAMES SCARLETT addressed the jury for the
defendant, and Mr. POLLOCK replied, and proposed
that the matter should be referred to an arbitrator, to
ascertain whether a witness named Roland was actu-
ally at Leeds, and conveyed the goods to the plain-
tiff's residence, as he had sworn—the plaintiff under-
taking to pay all costs. If the result of the inquiry
was that Roland was at Leeds, then there should he a
verdict for the defendant ; if the contrary, the arbitra-
tor should determine the amount of damages to be
awarded to the plaintiff.
Sir J. SCARLETT consented.

Lord DENMAN expressed his regret that the case
had not been tried in the county where the parties
resided, as it was impossible for the jury otherwise to
come to a satisfactory conclusion, where the evidence
was of so contradictory a nature.