Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-09-04

PHRENoLoG1cAL JouRNAL~-1he August
number Of this periodical contains, besides the
usual variety of entertaining and instructive
matter, an exceedingly able review Of DR..
Abercrombie's celebrated work on the " incl
lectual Powers" This work, from it's ardent
and flowing style, more perhaps, than from its
intrinsic philosophical merits, has obtained a
circulation and standing, particularly in
America,) which no metaphysical treatise ever
attained in SO short a period. But few years
have elapsed since the author gave this pro-
duction to the world; and now it is found in
almost every private library, in all our acade-
mics and colleges, taking the place of Paley,
Locke and Bacon, while, as we have said, its
chief recommendation over these is it's more
engaging, sanguine style and flowery lam
guage. 1t contains few new ideas, and most
Of those for which the merit of novelty might
be claimed, belong rather to the religious or
eRerial than to the philosophical or material
world. Indeed, the fervent religious pirinci-
pies of the author, have been accepted by
thousands as prin,a tacie evidence of the merit
of his book and the unique manner in which,
aided by a vigorous and vivid imagination, he
has blended together facts of an homogeneous
%naturett reducing the Importance and volume
of some while exaggerating that of others, has
not only impressed the reader of metaphysics
witha belief in the correctness of the author
views, but has SO confused the metaphysical
student that he has been, in many instances,
unable to distinguish error from truth. In
younger days, when our fancy was more wild
and our imagination. less obedient to the apss
peals of reason, Abercroinbic was a fayotite
author; and though he frequently darted off
in a tangent, and scared aloft to spheres I'm
known, just when he had made us believe that
he was about to ,%uinraveI som mystery in ma
ture' S laws, or carry us over some gulf Of yawn-
ing darkness between the worlds of matter and
mind, which our young comprehension could
not span, thus deceiving and Disappointing US,
we still adhered to him with all ardor and zeal of
youthful attachment. Nor is our admiration
of his splendid talents, his bonndless benevo-
lence and extensive research at all diminished,
Tow that we have seen some of his errors
signalized and accounted for. On the contra
ry, his book would be doably valuable if the
article from the chronological journal were
printed with it as a preface or an appendix.
The reviewer has not questioned what was
clear, he has but illumined that which was
obscure; and he has written in a tone of chart.
ty and christian spirit, not excelled even by
DR.. Abercrombie himself.
1t will be recollectea that in his treatise on
the "Intellectual Powers,' Abercrombie con-
tends for the absolute independence of mind
over matter viewing the soul as a separate
and distinct essence. voluntarily rising abcye,
or descending to, all material influences. The
little extract succeeding, will give an idea of
the manner in which the reviewer treats this
dogma, as well as show the futility.. of that
grand objection to phrenology, viz: that it de-.
stroys he doctrine of the souls Immortality.
"Dr.. Abercrombie's anxiety to avoid mate
rialismhas led him unconsciously into another
misapplication Of argument. Unable to I'M
derstand hon, if mind is Dope ndent on the
bodily organs for its manifestations, the being
lean remain ithe.same amidst the incessant
change of particles of which my body is COM
posed, he considers the feeling Of continued
identity as proofthat the mind acts, conceiyes,
and remembers, Independently Of the organs.
But, n the first place, the iniipossibility Of our
explaining any process Of mature, is a proof only
of our limited powers and not of TIE process
itself being managed either with or without
tine participation Of the organs and, in the
next, Dr.. Abercrombie overlooks the fact, that
animals perceive, remember, and apparently
have the consciousness of being the sarIe
animals throughout q long. life, ,notwithg. nd.
ing they undergo the same changes Of corno-
real competition as men, and arr, benerallv
believed not TO have any LATINO principle
apart from their organ ZION. So that, unless
ne can SHOW Nia' t....eir feeling of identity va
rles WIN ',r component PARTICLES, OF, that
'"~ ha--.e a thinking principle independent OF
I thc,r bodily frame, his former argument, as to
mans consciousness being independent Of
eorporeaI conditions, must OF necessity fall