The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-23 00:00:00

➢IR. RUMBALL'S SECOND LECTURE ON PHRENO-
LOGY AT 'rim MEDICAL INSTITUTION.

In nor report of Mr. Ruorball's opening lecture we stated,
that owing to the crowd, and occupying a bad position, we had
been prevented from taking notes of anything more than the
heads of arguments ; and, ou some portions of that of which
we did take note, we took leave to make some remarks. It will
be seen by M r. Runt bail's letter in another column, that he finds
fault will; the report as being in some instances incorrect, and
he there makes the necessary corrections by " re-stating-what
he oid say." We are perfectly ready to acknowledge that it
was very possible we might •fall into errors from the disadvan-
tages which we laboured under in taking notes, and those [min.;
taken en passant and partly from memory, whilst the lecturer was
going on. NVe have therefore thought. it but just to Mr. Rum.
ball to give insertion to his letter. Some of the "corrections,"
however, contained in that letter, are de facto not corrections
at all, but a re-statement of what appeared in the report; and
others strike us as being not corrections of the report, but of
what Mr. Rumba!' really did say. We state this, however, on
the authority only of a pretty strong eon well-trained memory,
which may have deceived-us. We have a distinct recollection
of Mr. Ruitiball stating, that invariably the size ()film brain was
indicative of the measure-of intelligence, allowance being made.
for the diffel4ence of temperament and sex, and an exception in
case of disease; and on this point we made some remarks;
This statement, Mr. gun:thrill in his letter, both repeats and
denies. In anytfuture remarkS, however, which we may make,
there willite no fencing about the data on which we go, as we
intend giving full reports of Mr. Rumball's lecture, with our
reporter's usual verbal accuracy.
On Thursday evening Mr. Rumball delivered his second.
lecture on Phrenology, in the Theatre of the Medical Institu-
tion, Mount-pleasant. The night was one of the severest frosts
we have yet had, and perhaps, in consequence of that, the audi-
enee was very thin. A great number °feasts, sculls. and draw-
inga:were on the table, to elucidate the lecturer'S remarks.
aSnodoUspaorkteeraseifgohllrowos'c:Lotiol:n.
elisutrnoobkaililismlaarnleterhnis
toaplopoekaraaftreer
an honest man ; I have brought mine in search of truth. I
don't know whether, we shall find it; we shall see. In Inv last
lecture I gave a summary view of the connexion between the
forms of animated beirigs—of animals and bodies, and their in-
telligence; and I commenced at the very lowest of the scale,
and stated that peieeption was the basis on whichall the mental
faculties were built: And I showed to you, that as we ascended
in the scale, we discovered the increase of intelligence gra-
dually developing itself till we came to man, who embodies in
himself all the intelligence of all living things, and iisubjeet to
the laws of all.liVing things, and also to the laws which regu-
late all dead or inanimate matter. In his body a microtersrit of
the material world, in his mind a prototype from which the im-
material world, if I may so express myself, derives its character.
I have shown you that man as he yaries exceedin;;;ly in form,
so he varies exceedingly in, mind;. and that his form is always to
a very great extent indicative of his mind ; and I went through
the history of the temperaments which are supposed at the pre.
sent day by many physiologists, to constitute the sole difference
amongst men—that the difference in the minds of men are.oc-
casioned entirely by temperament, was a position held.' I
showed you that sex influenced mind exceedingly, but at once
pointed out to you that neither sex nor temperamentelid more,
than give a general character, not a particular one, and there-
fore no distinct criterion of one individual mind from another
individual mind. In animals the same thing holds good. I
gave you my [minion and my reasons for believing that the
mind is inimaterial—that it .is not the result of organization;
but I rather think that this is a mere argument about words, as
tnost arguments are; because the product. of organization may
be considered mind, if we Consider that mental operations are
more or less developed in.greater or less organization; and if
we consider the qui, it has always been considered as the mind.
But if. the soul belminaterial, we cannot say thatit' shalt differ
in any one animal from another. Because, if we cannot esti-
mate any particular soul, how can we understand how it differs
from any other soul which wecannot understand or see anything
of? But you must have something in the body which is capable
of receiving intelligence from itself and storing it up. Now this
we have no right to attribute to matter—no tight to conceive
that matter does du it; and if matter did du it there would
be no such thiug as sleep, because the senses might •he
asleep and' the brain might develops theta totally, in-
dependent of all acts of memory, as it does, your say
partially—not entirely; and we shall say more about that
by and bye. Now, I have shown you that form indicates
mind generally. I will just touch on the form of the skull as
indicating mind essentially, and _particularly, as I shall show
you it. does. I have shown you that the brain was the organ of
the mind; and in proportion as the brain increased in size, the
mind increased in size; another, that beings possessing mind
possessed brain ; another, that all other organs of the body have
well know functions, and none of them two functions; another,
that the brain. has no Onction if it be not to manifest mind;
another, that the mind has no organ to manifest it, if it be
not the brain But I omitted one more important than all, t
spoke of partial injuries, which I shall speak of presently.—
Another is, that all the nerves of the body, which are part of
the organization which enables us to receive .impressions of
eternal objects—every body that can feel, or hear, or taste, or
smell, has going from the brain to the surface appointed for
each of these senses, certain white cords, called nerves, ram -
fying in small_ filaments on those surfaces; connected into
bundles, and each of these bundles going directly or indireoly
to the brain; indirectly through the medium of the spinal mar-
row,.which is tuerely,a connexion of nerves. 1 will not inquire
whether it arises from the brain or not. We know it is
connected with the brain, and that the nerves that go into it are
so ; and we know that all the intelligence the mind receives
from itself, is received through the medium of those nerves;
because if you divide a nerve anywhere between the point of
the finger and the brain, any intelligence from that.objeet'is
destroyed. But the intelligence of the nerve between the divi-
sion and the brain is not destroyed ; it may be damaged by the
injury, and is. Thus you see- we can at once show, that all the
sensations• that we are capable of proceed from the surface of
the body to the brain, and there they are taken cognizance of,
and no were else. Now, that is a 'strong argument, that the
brain is the organ of the mind. But, according- to old phis
luSuphy, the brain acts entire in every mental operatation,
that is, the whole mind acts through the whole brain in every
intellectual operation. Now it is very essential that we shohlti
investigate this matter, because it' that be so, there is an end of
phrenology.' Phrenology tells us we have it number of primitive
facilities, and a variety of organs; and each finality has its
special organ, and according to the quantity and quality of the
special organ, will be the quantity and quality of the special
intelligence. We must examine this matter. if the whole
brain act, and the whole mind act--what must be -the
necessary consequence ? If I take this lantern, mid hold
it towards you, it has the same degree of intensity of light
to each. It I obscure it alto ether l• diminish the intensity
of. ight proceeding from it; but it is the sane to you,
as to you, and you. What inference do we draw from Chat ?
The whole of the lantern is employed in showing the whole
of the light, and it is impossiblert should•look brighter to any
when it is obscured: therefore, you could have nothing, like
genius, or partial insanity, or anything like character at all.
The only difference between men would be iu degree. You
would have one with all his faculties, but in degree; and every
faculty must be in the saute ratio. Take fear; we know it is
a primitive faculty of the mind. Courage another. The greatest
coward should be the most brave; the most benevolent the must
cruel, because it is a question of mere intensity. I think that is
one strung argument that the whale brain cannot be employed.
Take another example, the nerves. Sir Charles Bell has proved
that the nerves are not siutple. That these very nerves we have
been considering, convey back from the brain also the function
and order of the mind to a finger to do something. Experi-
ments have proved- one sheaf contains them, and that there
are nerves of thr..e different fanctions. We have part of the
spinal marrow, which conveys the sense of motion, another,
volition, and another adapted to respiration altogether. If )sin
destroy one part you destroy one faculty. If you destroy ano-
ther part you destroy another faculty. So the nerves which go
to the brain. Majeudie thus divided the brain in rabbits. if
he divides one portion, the rabbit will keep twisting round; if
be divides another, the rabbit'will rush backward. Majendie,
and others, who tried these experiments were not phrenologists,
and yet they acknowledge that every part of the brain has its
funCtion. So deafness,. you have people who are.) erfectly deaf,
and yet they can see. But the eye doesnotsee. If you divide the
optic net ve, the eye is perfect, but yOu cannot see. The image of
the object is carried to the brain, and there imprinted. Now,
if the whole brain is active in seeing as well as hearing, why
does it not become blind as well as deaf ? In many cases you
have the. disease affecting the and not affecting other parts
of the brain. There is a good deal of discrepancy as to where
the optic nerve terminates. Spurzheim says the optic nerve
.terminates very differently to where the anatomist-says it does.
It only receives some filaments where theanatninist says it ter-
mivales. In this instance you have that one part of the brain
is active in receiving cognizance of sounds, and another of
sight. In genius you have a man who betrays front his youth
a peculiar aptitude for some, particular study.- if
.you read the
history of eminent men, you will find that, long before educa-
tion had anythingto do with them, they betrayed thosepecu lia ri-
ties; how could that be if the whole brain was iu action? Why he
must be equally talented iu very other acquirement, which you
know is not the case. How could the brain be fatigued, and yet
capable of working ? You know that you can read law or any
abstruse books for a certain time, or learn law or any other
thing for a certain time. But you can turn round and read a
novel, or anything that requires some different action of the
brain. But how is that if the brain is all employed ? The same
fatigue would follow you in the novel as in Blackstone. But if
you know that one part is employed in studying law, and ano-
ther in light reading. You can 'understand how light reading
should be a ieliel. The gradual developetnent of the brain is
another 'proof, 'The gradual developernetit is not additional
mental .power in animals, but additional mental faculties. In

injuries of a part which we shall more clearly see when ive speak
of the qualities of the mind ; you have injury to one part of the
mind and not to others; and in monomania you have men mad
on one point, and sound on all others. You have men going
up to marry the Queen by dozens; how could these brains be
healthy on all points and insane on that one? I will tell you.
Supposing this light is shown through a number of holes iu the
lantern, I, may obscure one bole, and one part of the light is
destroyed; or I may obscure a part.and a part is obscured. So
with the mind. Or I may obscure it all, and then all the facul-
ties will be dull. If I give you cases of single faculties you will
see that inability follows if there isdiseaseof a part of the brain.
It is allowed that the wind itself cannot be diseased. 'There-
fore we have abundant evidence that the brain is composed of
parts, each part having special functions. In one case of di-
sease that I attended myself, in London, a gentleman there laid
for several weeks, capable of hearing but not of seeing, and yet
his, eyes were perfect. On opening his head .1 found a large
abscess, which had this particular effect on the faculty which
would there locate, which is a most valuable physiological acqui-
sition. All anatomists allow that the nerves decussate across.

If one part of the brain is injured, anatomists assume that 'all
the brain is injured; but that is not right. You can see the de•
cessation of the optic nerves. In a paralyses of one part of the
brain you will have a paralyses of the other side of the body,
while the other side of the body will be as free as ever it was. It
shows that the brain is divided into two at all events ; and't think
I shall show into many more, how many more we cannot decide
before We get through the whole course of the lectures; we
must first. prmie the existence of certain primitive faculties be-
fore we can show that. We shall find among all the known
faculties of the human mind, we have, with few exceptions, cer-
tain Well defined parts which will manifest them. In reference
tie the last lecture, does the size of the brain manifest the size of

the mind 'generally? I shoWed you, bet Ween this idiot (exhi-
biting a plaster cast) and Spurzheim ; there is a very great dif-
ference In Or size of the skull, at all events, not in the face.
And men have thought by ascertaining the size of the scull they
could ascertain the size of intelligence long before phrenology
was thought of. Does the scull show (he size of the brain?
That was a Jlisputed point: we say it does. [The lecturei' here
exhibited several casts, and compared them to prove his posi-
tion.] We have thOi a very easy matter to ascertain how much
brain there is iq the bead. If you draw a line from the eye
down through tli..opening of the ear, all above that is brain.
Now, We si;e 4 vast difference indeed between the brain of this
man and th„o firaiu of an indiot. [Exhibiting a cast.]. There-
fore if Ulf! §eull indicate‘ the size of. the. brain it manifests a
peat difference in the size of 'intelligence. 13ut it does not
always.dp ue afe liable to error. In.-the ea fliest •pari
existence you have the bones of the scull open on the top'of
begot;the-
.ia,l'ou grow up the openings are dosed, and put grow
• i `."