The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-02-12
MISCELLANY.
Translated by Bss'sd, from the original French
for tho Literary Journal.
II Ill r. ENOLO GY.

II Ill IL E n . LOG ~.
METEOROLOGICAL EXAMINATION or THE
WIDow LANDoN.
a communication of some importan,
facts in relation to the science ofPhren-
ology, has been made to the Journal OF
la 'Societe dc CviHzation. In MAY las,
at the request of M. LaIoue, a physician
in the twelfth arron9issement, NJ. Gom.
let, Il commissary Of police in the quar-
ter called THE Observatory" invited
NJ. Dumoutier, Professor Of Phrenology
to give his opinion respecting the mo.
-'ives of suicide in the case of the Widow
Landon, who had died by her ownhand
at her house, No. %, rue de la VieiHc- Es-
frdpade. M. Dumouter was introduce 4
into the chamber where the body lay -
the head only being uncovered ;-and
commenced his chronological examina-
ton; giving the results, as follows:
nomination.
".This person, both in her physical
md moral constitution, exhibited some
strong maternal resemblances. Her dis
position was kind and affectionatc. She
was tenaciuos in her habits; and must
hnvo been Dcry perScvcring. She was
strongly attached to those on whom she
bestowed her friendship. She may have
been very good mother. Whenever
she was excited to anger. it's paroxysms
were violent, and she destroyed what
ever came into her hands. She must
have been subject to fits Of sadness and
oficn spoke of her dark and gloomy
thoughts. She was dislrustfuI, and was
often anxious and disquieted respecting
the future. She had also great anxiety
IN relation to the opinions which others
entertained Of her, aud often made her
self unhappy by the inquiry, "wlrat will
people say ?"-or "what will pcople
think 7" She eyinccd religious scnti-
ments. She put faith in the dogmas Of
religion and she was honest and lust
in all her dealings. She was industrious
and economical: and being me,hodical
and dcxtcrous, she must have been able
tie maintain herself by her labor. Her
designs may have exhibited intelligence
md shrewdncss but she does not nm
pear TO have received MI the cultivation
of which she was susceptible. Her re-
collection Of words and opochs was not
strong, she must therefore have with
difficulty committed them 10 memory ::
havc soon forgotten dates, and had but
n very imperfect conception Of time or
duration while, on the contrary, her
memory Of forms and places enabled her
easily to recognize persons whom she
had seen, and places through which she
had passed and caused her to enjoy
picturesque views and situations. She
was affected by music, and more pnr,ic-
ularly bv music Of u sacred character
In fac. the motives which led to the IA
tai determination Of this woman, think
must be attributed to ;acn,al alienation
of the character Of lypemanies, (melan-
choIy mndness,) the distant cause of
which must have been her extreme dis
quictudc respecting the opinions which
were entertained IF her by others, the
excitement of religious feelings, and of
those Of duty and justice, together with a
disappoint ment Of curly affections, eth
er through indifference or some other
cause added TO an excessive or maniac
activity Of the faculties of courage and
destructiveness."
Next is all extract from the process rcr-
bal of,he inquest which was holden on
the occasion of the suicide of the widow
Lnndon taken from the Register Jour-
nal of Nj. Gourlet.
Extract from the process verbal.
81, appears by the inquest, and the
testimony of witnesses, that most of the
observations made by M. Dumou,ier up
on the Uranium, are confirmed as true I;
that, ia fact, the widow Landon was n
woman of good character, and of an in-
telligcn, mind that her conduct was