Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-03-19
Boston PhrenOlOgists In 1870.

Chance had given some distinction to
Boston as the focus OF doctrine which,
though probably to be classed as
pieudo. scientific, has had permanent
effect on theological belief through its
bearing on the question OF moral &C.
countability-we mean phrenology.
Those admitted to the intimacy of a
late popular physician in Boston re.
member an ear If SpurzEeim's neatly
preserved in alcohol and thousands OF
visitors toIMount Auburn have had their
attention called to the monument which
marks his last resting place. Six years
after the German apostle had planted
his seed aud been himself inferred in
foreign soil, the interest already ex-
cited in figured and lettered skulls, and
bumps, and organs, and examina-
tions," was confirmed by the arrival OF
George Combe, with his dry, unhumor-
GUS Scotch mind, his pure and earnest
nature, and his considerable reputation
as q writer, and as strictly scientific
expounder of the truths Of phrenology.
For nearly two years his lectures were
listened to in all the great cities of the
Union. In June, 1910, he returned to
England. 1T was the frequent re-
mark of Mr.. Combe," says Mrs. Child,
in her familiar Letter from Ne,o York,
that Of all nations whose heads he
mad ever had the opportunity to OBJ
serve, the Americans had the organ Of
veneration the least developed"
Veneration" was marked full on
the chart made of Father Miller in
1912 by u chronological friend, and
on the same chart Warehouses; "
was set down as moderate" But the
good old man perhaps made some al
lowance for the preposscssicn OF the
examiner, seeing that the prejudice OF
another had in that very year laughably
betrayed the uncertainties OF this sort
Of dlvination. His incognito beng
preserved, as WAS customary, the
phrenologist remarked to his introdu-
Ger " 1 tell you what it is, Mr.. Miller
could not easily make u convert of
his man to his hair Drained theory,
lie has too much good sense Put
ting his hand ON the organ OF marvel
BUSINESS, he proceeded: There Ill
bet you anything that old Miller has
got IL bump on his head there as big as
my fist" Such mistakes seem like a
reductto ad ubsurdum of the whole sys-
tenn but, other considerations apart,
they hardly do more than prove the
incompetency or charlatanry OF the in
dividual professor who makes them.
Every attempt to popularize the result
of learning and research is exposed to
such disgraces, and it was for this
reason that the old Puritans founded
Harvard College, expressly to avoid
leaving an illlterate ministry to the
churches ;" Father Miller himself being
precisely one OF this kind, and his cal
culations and predictions being the re-
suit of his want of scholarly discipline,
though it must in candor be allowed
that his theory of Scriptural interpre-
tation is not open to this objection from
the orthodox. Some Of these, by the
way, complained of chronology as
favoring fatalism too much. Mrs. Child,
on the other hand, hailed it US the
democracy of metaphysics "a view
not less abhorrent to the clergy, whose
occupation it threatenad to take away.
From The Isms of Forty Years
Ago." in Harper's MIgasine.