The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-28

dent, that Il she mind operates BY meaus of !
Material organ, its action will depend on III.
perfect development Of that organ, Of which
size is certainly an ingredient. 9
The Fourth item in the Phrenological the
ory VIZ: Thstthe form Of the brain, includ-
ins the location end relative size Of the vari-
ous organs, may be determined By On examina-
tion Of the external hesd, 10 involved IN much
difhculiy. Dr.. Sewall has shown that in
skulls Of the same external Dimensions differ
ence may exist Of more than one half in the
volume Of the brsir, oecasioned by diff. renee
in the thickness Of the skull. From this be
infers that II 10 impossible to ascertain by in
spection Of the living head whether person
has skull Of one insh or one eight OF an inch
IN thickness. II 10 urged also that in addition
to the difficulty Of ascertaining the shape Of
the brain in any part Of tie head, the general
irregularities Of Ties kull particularly ths occur
renee Of the frontal Sinus render Phrenolo-
81 impsacticabls.
In reply to DR.. Sewall IL is urged that, a.
the thickness Of the skull is proportionate to
the size Of the other bones Of the system we
may from them be enabled to form pretty
accurate idea Of the thickness Of the Skull
The frontal sinus is acknowledged to present
real though not serious obstacle.
Until about the age OF fourteen Il Is said Fl.
ther not to exist at all or not to extend az
high A. the base Of the brain; and when it
comes into existence It Is ordinarily indie ated
By external appearances; and, upon the whole,
h to be regarded not as an insuperable obsfdele.
but merely as source Of error to be guarded
against. @ sl
As . fact initiating sgainst phrenology in
stances are adduced Of men Of distinguished
abilities whose heads ~ere small. This II IN.
swered BY saying that although the head was
small the deficiency belonged to some other
thsn the intellectual organs, and that fRese
were in all such cases well developed.
Again some Psychologists maintain that the
brain a:tains il full size At an early aes-per-
hsps at ~ average Of about seven years.
PhrenoIogists contend on the contrary that it
does sot attain its full size until manhood.
One other class Of objections 20 Phrenology
is that which assumes that it destroys moral
responsibility, and involves the materially Of
mind. Wise and well informed and good men
have IN many instances felt that Phrsnology,
30 called, was inimical to both reason and pie
ty, md that by its eontrsrie,y to known and
felt truths il demonstrated itself to be funda-
mentally false. These with other objections
will be found ably presented in work pub
lished some years since by Rev. DR.. Rice at
Cincinnati, The character and religious in
huenee Of leading Phrenologists from Gall 10
the FowIers, has not, we hear, been adapted to
conciliate the goodwill, or enlist the sympa.
thies Of evangelical christians. The .emi-in-
6del spirit which pervades many, ii not most,
Of the popular writings Of Phrenologia.s is
apy thing but pleasing to those who perceive
moral as well IS physical evil at work in our
world, and who recognize tie so.pel and not
Phrenolcgy Is the grand Panacea for all the
ills Of our fallen humanity.
To the inputation Of destroying respon.i-
bility and favoring materialism, Phrenologists
generally demur, and defend themselves with
spirit and ability and not without some success.
Further into the objection urder consideration
and the replies offered, space win not permit
US to enter. We ought to remark however
that even some Of the opposers Of phrenology
admit their defence .. tkis poiat to be valid
DR.. Smith Of New York one among the ablest
writer's in opposition to Phrenology says in
reference to these two objections; ssBoth
charges appear to me to be groundless. -. ......
!" The Phrenological hypothesis involves noth-
ing with regard to the constitution Of man,
which, in reference to that constitasion merely,
may not safely b granted"
We have thus glanced at the leading prinei.
Piles OF what ciaimsto Be the science OF phre.
nology, and few Of the objections urged in
opposition. II IL evident that no process Of
reasoning from priseiples can establish this or
any other positive science. Reasoning can ON
y remove objections, II does the negative
part Of the work. Nlays bear the ground and
points the Phrenoloeist where without let or
hindrance, he may proceed in the erection az
the structure about which be has. been theoriz-
ing. Phrenology claims to have been estab
lished BY observation, by induction from facts,
and q such il must stand or fan. The oue,-
tion whether the Phrepologist can describe
the character Of an individual b. examination
OF his head, Is purely one Of faet-and may Be
easily tested. Let the Instances Be sufficiently
numerous to warrant us in forming eonclu-
sion. Let the experimenfer be deprived oe all