The Sun. — 1836-01-21 (London, England)

PHRENOLOGY.—We take the following from the Gazette Mcdicale :—" We have examined the heads of Lacenaire and Avril, and these are the results. The face of Avril expresses nothing but a stupid ferocity. His skull presents the following peculiarities :—The forehead is very low, and strongly inclining backwards, being otherwise rather open. A marked projection commences on a level with the external orbitary apophysis of the corona], extending and enlarging till it reaches the auditory conduit, where it ik considerably developed. This in craniology, is a decided indication of a thief and murderer. Phrenologists will no doubt avail themselves of this as evidence of the truth of their system. To this, however, the head of Lacenaire forms a direct contradiction. Lacenaire, whose cold-blooded cruelty and want of feeling, under the most frightful circumstances, has astonished and disgusted all France, was khreaotogioally endowed with all the qualities of a good, ind, mild, sensible, and religious man ; holding injustice and robbery in horror, and a bi from being an assassin, n:lced thousand leagues taught by Tills would be what we should be trenology, if we had not facts to correct the Conclusions it would lead us to. Thus, there is a marked development of all the interior and superior parts of the cranium, and as remakable a smoothness of the two sides, and particularly in those parts which are said to correspond with robbery and murder. The organs of good-naturedness and theosophy are remarkably prominent.'  OBLIGATION OF MEMBERS TO SUBSCRIBE 11#14 DECLARATION, The LORD MAYOR having called upon the members as they entered the Court to co.no ltwa . to be sworn, Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR had heel t ready sWQrn, in at the Wardmote, and he supposed that a 32 OA 4iv,:)aring-in was unnecessary. The LORD MAYOR stated that if Mr. Taylor refused to sign the declaration, he could not be allowed to take a patt in the proceedings of the Court. Mr. TAYLOR had signed the declaration in the Wardmote, but not until he had been sworn into office, for he had been admitted under no obligation to sign it, and having signed it, he had put it in his pocket, because ho would not let it be carried to the Aldermen who had no authority. .11c, therefore; now produced his declaration in this superior Court, and handed it to the proper officer, at the same time expressing his utmost contempt for its object, which was to prevent the measure of Ecclesiastical Reform.  A long list of persons applying for freedom, ender the new Bill, which enables a person to obtain his freedom upon payment of '5/., was read by the City Cl:amberlain, and agreed • THE BLACKWALL COMMERCIAL RAILWAY COMPANY, Mr. WIRE presented a petition froniseveral persons connected with the Commercial Blackwell Railway Company, praying that the Court would decide upon the course they would take with regard to the .Bill in Parliament on the subject. As it was intended that the Railway should go through several parishes in the City, it was necessary, before the Bill could be proceeded with, that the City should either asse4tjipent, or determine to be neuter. Allem-nen LUCAS disapproved of the attempt to take the Court by surprise upon a matter of so serious a nature. Mr. WIRE should move that the petition be referred to the City Lands Committee to decide upon assent or dissent. All he asked was, that the Court would remain neuter. The Committee would, he doubted not, resolve not to interfere, and then the Company could procure in Parliament a measure calculated to do great benefit to the City. Mr. PRIOR (the Chairman of the City Lands Committee) observe'!,, that they might expect another project of a similar Iftnd to be submitted to them. ,siderman LUCAS said, that the expectation of a second project was the very reason why they ought to pause ; and he hoped that the Court would know something of what they were about before they proceeded further. Mr.. WIRE then made an alteration in his motion, wilich then stood thus :—" That it be referred to the Committee of City Lands to consider and report thereon." The motion was agreed to.