Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-01-22

THE MIND AT woRK.-The editor Of the
Connecticut Observer, speaking with refer
ence to a lecture on Phrenology which he
had attended, makes the following judcous
remarks:
One of the doctincs of Phrenology, or we
ought perhaps, rather 10 say, one OF the great
est principles Of Physiology on which Phre-
noosy is founded, we wish might be known
as widely as men live together in Society,"
And if we mistake not the signs of the times,
its "depelopemtnt," at the present day, would
be of no little use. We refer to the principle
that the Jrain is the organ Jy which tie mind
manitests itseL-that the mind uses the brain
for thinking, just as it uses the limbs for
walking, the eyes for seeing, and the arms
for cutting wood.
The practical use to which we would have
this doctrine Of Physiology applied, at the
present day, is this. The farmer, when he
visits the lawyer in his office, or tine minister
in his study, is sometimes prone to think that
they live very easy, comfortable kind OF
life. He sees no great eXertlon Of muscular
strength. 1t seems vastly more easy to weld
pen than an axe. There is no appearance
of great bodily effort. Surely, they must get
along quite easily in their business. If the
day is very warm, there they sit in their sha-
dy rooms, and do nothing but study, while he
is broling IN the sun, and obliged TO exert
his muscles in the labors Of the field. Or the
duy NAV be very cold-and he finds them sit
ting by comfortable fire, and nothing to DO
but Mink-while he has to face the wntry
blast, and weary his muscles by cutting down
trees in the forest. Surely he is prone, somc-
times, to say to himself, this is an idle, or at
least, very easy sort Of life which these
men lead. Nothing to do but think and
study!
| Now let the facts in the case be known
let him see that the brain literally and truly
laoors, and is wearied and exhausted by think
ing Just as the arms labor and are wearied
and exhausted by cutting down trees-and
the same good sense which he exercises on
his farm, would teach him that there is no
ground for envy. He will feel that 1t is no
more comfortable to have the brain wearled,
than to have the arm wearled-no easier to
work with the brain, than to work with the
arm. It is only because the brain Is con-
cealed from human view, and works IN It's
carefully enclosed cell, that men do not give
it as much credit for work, and for hard ,eork
too, rs they give the arm.
With the principles OF Physiology IN view
one might Just as well claim that none are
working men, who do not work, principally
with the brain, as others claim that none arc
working men, but those who work, principal
", with the arm. And would be no more alb
surd distinction to say, that nothing is work
but what is done in public, as to say that no
thing is work, which is not done by muscles
whose operation is visible.
1t would be easy, to be sure, to ridiculc
views like tbese-and so it would be easy tc
ridicule the assertion that the three angles o
triangle are equal to two rlg hit anges-ol
that the earth revolves around its centre-o
that the blood circulates through the arteries
and veins. But ridiculc cannot alter truth.