The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-08 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY

The discussion was resumed on Wednesday night, at the
Portico, between Messrs. Rumball and Brindley, when a
much larger meeting was assembled. Mr. CRISP again
took the chair.

The debate was carried on with great spirit, and much
more of fact and evidence was adduced both pro. and con.
Mr. RUMBALL opened the debate, but occupied his time
chiefly in recapitulating what had been gone through on the
previous evening—several times challenging Mr. Brindley to
bring forward his objections taken from the structure of the
brain.

Mr. BRINDLEY, in reply, observed that, Mr. Rumball
having challenged this discussion, in order that he might
prove the truth of Phrenology, it was for him, first of all, to
point out the evidence derivable from the anatomy of the
brain. For, continued Mr. Brindley, suppose I was to come
forward with a new hypothesis concerning the organs of
sense, maintaining that instead of only 5 external organs of
sense, we possessed 50 such organs, would it not naturally
be expected that, as I was introducing a new system in op-
position to that which had long been received as founded in
truth, that I, in the first instance, should produce evidence
in support of my new views?

It would not be for an opponent to show that we had only
5 organs, but for me to prove that we had 50 ; precisely so
was it, in this instance, with Mr. Rumball and Phrenology.
That gentleman states that the brain is not one mental organ,
but that it is 37 pairs of independent organs—let him then
first show upon what evidence his new views are supported.
Mr. RUMBALL, in reply. contended that he had already
done this by going to comparative anatomy, and spewing the
variable brain structures in different orders of animals, and
again referred to the distinct offices performed by the motory
and sensory nerves, and concluded by once more insisting
upon Mr. Brindley's offering his objections derivable from
the structure of the brain.

Mr. BRINDLEY said it was plain that either he must bring
forward his opposing arguments, or no information would
be given touching the formation of the human brain ; and,
therefore, although it was quite out of order that he should
show the brain to be contradictory of phrenology, before it
had been shown to support that theory, he would at once pro-
ceed to enumerate what appeared to him to be facts strongly
subversive of the brain's being subdivided into pairs of organs,
as marked out by phrenologists. He had there a real brain,
and not a mere picture, nor a chalk oast. First, then, no
two brains were precisely similar in the number, situation,
and form of the convalutions, and in no brain did those con-
valutions correspond with each other in the two hemispheres;
how, then, could those hemispheres be said to contain 37
pairs of organs. Secondly, nearly one-third of the con-
valutions were situated at the base of the brain, and nearly
another third between the hemispheres, so that the phreno-
logists who had accounted for all our mental manifestations
had only accounted for little more than one-third of the
brainular convalutions. Thirdly, a yet stranger objection
arose from the fact that the convalutions, called by the
phrenologists mental organs, were so very variable is the
depth to which they covered the brain, that while in some
parts they were nearly an inch through, in other parts they
would only be half an inch, quarter of an inch, or even an
eighth of an inch ; how, then, was it possible for any man to
decide what was the relative development of those convalu-
tions, even when the skull cap was removed, without you
could also cut through the brain itself; yet, in the face of
these demonstrable facts, which there was the brain to prove,
phrenologists, by a mere examination of the exterior of the
skull, could pretend to decide accurately the degree of power
in each part of those convalutions, which, after all, were
one continued unbroken mass.

Mr. RUIIBALL admitted the variable character of the
convalutions, also that they were thickly spread over
the base of the brain and between the hemispheres, he
also admitted that the corticle of convaluted surface
of the brain did vary in thickness, or depth, as described
by Mr. Brindley, but urged that, notwithstanding, these
things did not militate against the truth of Prenology
—for he cared nothing about the convalutions—Gale, the
founder of Phrenology, discovered that men with certain
dispositions had peculiar prominence in one particular region
of the head, the situation of which being accurately defined,
enabled Phrenologists to point out corresponding dispositions
when a corresponding fulness of the head existed.
Mr. BILINDLEY very briefly replied to these last observa-
tions ; the whole of his important objections had not only
not beer► disproved, but their validity was actually admitted
by Mr. Rumball, and the whole of the evidence in support of
Phrenology was now settled down to a mere question of thick-
ness of skull ; but even that should not serve bim, for if Mr.
R. would now declare that he was satisfied with the proofs
from the anatomy of the brain, he was prepared at once to
meet him on the skull,—only let him point out distinctly
what was to be the order he intended to pursue in the subse-
quent part of the debate.

Mr. RUMBALL offered some further observations respect-
ing the nerves of motion and sensation, and stated that evi-
dence from skulls should next be gone into, and that he
would examine the heads of six living persons of known cha-
racter, and by this Phrenological manipulation would declare
their true dispositions, talents, &c.
Mr. BRINDLEY then gave notice that on the next evening
he would bring up a variety of opposing facts, drawn from
Phrenological developments of a number of murderers and
other criminals.—We believe it is his intention to bring for-
ward casts of the heads of Good, the murderer, Courvoisier,
Blakesley, Fieschi, Burke, Hare, Bishop, Williams, Thurtill,
and others.

The CHAntivAN then announced that on Friday evening
(this day) the discussion would not commence until half-past
seven, that hour appearing more convenient.

THE ASSAULT ON ONE OF THE POLICE AT BIRKENHEAD.
—On Monday last James Bennett, one of the parties who
made the ferocious attack on Grooves (as mentioned in Fri-
day's STANDARD) was brought before J. D. Maddocks and
Henry Winch, Esqrs., and fined 40s. for the assault. In
default of payment he was committed for one month. Yes-
terday Thomas Bennett, who had joined his brother in the
attack on Groves attended before J. R. Shaw and Henry
Winch, Esqs., and was also fined forty shillings. In default
of payment he was committed to the House of Correction for
two months, to be kept to hard labour.
ASSAULT ON THE SPECIAL HIGH CONSTABLE OF
WIRRAL HUNDRED.—A. strong, rough-looking person,
named John Jackson, was, yesterday, placed before J. R.
Shaw, and H. Winch, Esqrs., at the Town-hall, Birkenhead,
on a charge of assaulting Mr. George Palmer, Special High
Constable of Wirral Hundred. Mr. Palmer stated, that on
Saturday night, about half-past ten o'clock, there was a
tight in Chester-street, Birkenhead, and a large mob had
collected. He went to disperse the crowd, when Jackson
knocked him down and kicked him over the chest. He was
also kicked about the head and other parts of his body, and
his hand and arm were very much bruised, as he supposed
by their being jumped upon. Elliot, one of the night-police,
also charged the prisoner with an assault on him. The
officer appeared with his head bound up, and stated that his
staff had been wrenched from him, and he was so beaten by
it as to be in a state of insensibility for some time. At the
commencement of the disturbance he had requested Jackson
to go home quietly, but he swore he would not, and had
struck him (Elliot) a blow on the face which knocked him
(I"svn• The magistrates said it was high time to put a stop
to such brutal attacks on the officers, and therefore they
firmer
should commit Jackson for trial at the next sessions.
t FUNDS.—The Stock-markets were in an active state
to-day, but prices did not improve, though they were rather
in consequence of this being the first day of private
tra
• The supply of money among the dealers is already
gettinglarge, as the payment of the dividends will of course
increase the amount available for the purpose of accommoda-
tion.
was
9,
,T.he last price of Consols for money and the account
d • 11. t°*; and Bank Stock, 166 to 167 ;. Exchequer-bills,
Cents. Reduced'l3
2 issue
,re
mt? 465. premium ; and ditto, 21d. issue, 475.
to 495.
Long Annuities' Per Cents. Reduced, 9111 to 92 ;31 per
Bonds, 245. to 265.
iM to ; New 3i per Cents., 991 to 100 ;
hardly so good to-dia)
2 ; India Stock, 247/ ex.-div. ; and India
;e
The foreign stock-market was
instances no variationin
generalPrliu°3. aspect, though in particular
closed at 211 to :1-; Ditt°ccurred in value. Spanish Actives
Cents., 331 to 41 ; Ditto°' _New, 211 to Portuguese 5 per
5 per Cents., 351 to 61}; !c3orer Cents., 19t to 201; Mexican
to 66 ; Belgian, 102 to 103
.onabian, 22i to fi ; Brazilian, 64
to g.—Wednesday Evening., and Dutch 2i per Cents., 5l